{{short description|American actor}} {{About|the acrobat/actor|other people named Rafael or Raphael Cruz|Rafael Cruz (disambiguation){{!}}Rafael Cruz}} {{family name hatnote|Cruz||lang=Spanish}} {{Infobox person | name = Raphael Cruz | image = Raphael Cruz pic.jpg | caption = Raphael Cruz | birth_name = | birth_date = September 5, 1986 | birth_place = Vallejo, California, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2018|1|26|1986|9|5}} | death_place = Paris, France | occupation = Acrobat, clown, actor | known_for = ''Iris'' }} '''Raphael Cruz''' (September 5, 1986 – January 26, 2018) was an American acrobat, clown and actor, a Bay Area native and international contemporary circus star, one of three brothers who performed together.<ref name="death" />
After training in San Francisco's Pickle Family Circus and then Montreal's National Circus School, Cruz had many brilliant performances with Montreal's The 7 Fingers and Cirque du Soleil, and the Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre Company.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Siag |first=Jean |date=2018-02-02 |title=Mort de Raphael Cruz: la communauté cirque en deuil |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/spectacles-et-theatre/cirque/201802/02/01-5152433-mort-de-raphael-cruz-la-communaute-cirque-en-deuil.php |access-date=2025-01-08 |work=La Presse |language=fr-CA}}</ref> In 2011, Cruz played the lead role of Buster, a Buster Keaton inspired character, in the cinema themed Cirque du Soleil production ''Iris''.<ref name="LAT">{{cite web |author=Chan, Bryan |date=September 14, 2011 |title=Cirque du Soleil performers before and after photos |url=http://framework.latimes.com/2011/09/14/cirque-du-soleil-performers-before-and-after-photos/#/0 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref name="LAT2">{{cite web |author=Lewis, Raha |date=June 16, 2011 |title=First Look: Costumes for Cirque du Soleil's 'Iris' are part of the spectacle |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2011/06/first-look-costumes-for-cirque-du-soleils-iris-a-journey-through-the-world-of-cinema-are-part-of-the-spectacle.html |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref name="OCR">{{cite web |author=Hodgins, Paul |date=September 26, 2011 |title=Cirque's 'Iris' is a feast for the senses |url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cirque-318993-iris-most.html |work=Orange County Register}}</ref> Cruz was part of the choreography team for the opening ceremonies for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-12-31 |title=January 2 Vallejo/Vacaville Arts and Entertainment Source: The Raphael Cruz Fund honors Vallejo Native |url=https://www.timesheraldonline.com/2024/12/31/january-2-vallejo-vacaville-arts-and-entertainment-source-the-raphael-cruz-fund-honors-vallejo-native/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Times Herald Online |language=en-US}}</ref>
Raphael died unexpectedly at 31 years old on January 26, 2018, in Paris from undiagnosed heart ailment causing heart and lung failure.<ref name="death">{{cite web |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/acrobat-actor-raphael-cruz-recently-at-lookinngglass-dies-in-paris/ |title=Acrobat-actor Raphael Cruz, recently at Lookingglass, dies in Paris |author=Weiss, Hedy |website=Chicago Sun-Times |date=January 29, 2018 |accessdate=January 29, 2018}}</ref>
The Raphael Cruz Scholarship Fund was created in 2024 by Club Fugazi, a performing arts theatre in San Francisco to provide Bay Area youth with opportunities to be inspired by Raphael's example and follow in his footsteps.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|1646902}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz, Raphael}} Category:1986 births Category:2018 deaths Category:American acrobats Category:Cirque du Soleil performers Category:American male film actors Category:Hispanic and Latino American male actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American circus performers Category:American clowns Category:Actors from Vallejo, California Category:Male actors from Solano County, California