Award winning South African actress and restauranteur Ashley Callie passed away Friday, a week after being in a head-on collision. She was young, talented and beautiful, and had become a household name for her role as Leone Haines in long running soap "Isidingo".
The year above Ashley at drama school, I remember having the most enormous crush but, in typical Emery fashion, failed to do anything about it. We acted together in "Cloud 9". I remember vividly a scene where I was to make her cry, but always came short because I didn't want to upset the person behind the role.
The last time I saw Ashley in person, she was at her restaurant in Melville. It must've been 3 years ago, during a visit home. She popped out of the kitchen and I saw her and gave her a hug, saying we must catch up. But she was off before I could finish, racing back to the kitchen on another full night. Next time I saw her was on TV in Isidingo during our trip back this past Christmas. She looked so perfect in her role. Damn good choice, I thought.
A couple of weeks ago, I dropped off my showreel to a place here in LA and, as I was waiting, glanced at the bookcase to my left. My eyes fell on one book. A play. "Cloud 9" by Carol Churchill. I flipped through to 'that scene', the first time I'd read it since 1991. Over a decade ago, but still just as fresh. I left with a smile.
Thank you for being you, Ashley. I'm sorry I didn't make the time to see you. You will live on in our hearts and our memories.
Click here to visit the Ashley Callie Tribute Site
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"Typical Emery fashion"? You sound as if you've had many, many unrequited crushes. I'm sorry about your friend, but it's good that you can have happy memories of her.
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Oops - I bungled up my first post by accident. Sorry!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about the death of your friend. She sounds like a great actress.
A good friend of mine died in March '06. It was horrible. I've been thinking about him all day today, as March has rolled around again.
I guess the one thing that I've come away from after his death is not to take my friends for granted. Things can change on a dime.
Sorry to hear about your friend, Ashley.
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