There are (at least) three well-known public figures named Kevin Smith that often get mixed up, and only one of them is actually dead. I’ll walk through them clearly so the answer isn’t misleading.

Quick answer

If you’re asking “how did Kevin Smith die?”, the only widely known Kevin Smith who has died is Kevin Tod Smith , the New Zealand actor who played Ares in Xena: Warrior Princess. He died in 2002 from severe head injuries after an accidental fall from a height on a film set in China , and he passed away in a Beijing hospital without regaining consciousness.

The American filmmaker Kevin Smith (of Clerks , Silent Bob , etc.) is still alive ; he survived a major heart attack in 2018.

Who actually died: Kevin Tod Smith (New Zealand actor)

When people search “how did Kevin Smith die,” they’re usually (unknowingly) referring to Kevin Tod Smith , a New Zealand actor and musician. He was best known for playing the god of war Ares on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess.

What happened

  • In early February 2002, he was in China working around a film set after finishing shooting on a project (a sequel related to Warriors of Virtue).
  • He fell from a height of around three stories (some reports say “several” or “possibly six storeys”) from a set or tower structure near the studio area.
  • The fall caused severe head injuries , including major skull trauma.
  • He was rushed to a local hospital, then transferred to a larger hospital in Beijing, where he went into a coma and was kept on life support.
  • After about ten days, life support was discontinued, and he died on 15 February 2002 without regaining consciousness, at age 38.

His death hit the New Zealand and genre-TV fan community hard, partly because he was right on the verge of a bigger Hollywood break – he had been lined up for a role in a Bruce Willis film and was seen as someone who could have become a major action star.

But what about Kevin Smith the director?

A lot of confusion online comes from mixing up the late New Zealand actor with Kevin Patrick Smith , the American filmmaker, actor, and podcaster behind Clerks , Mallrats , Chasing Amy , Dogma , and the character Silent Bob.

  • In February 2018 , after a live stand-up show in Glendale, California, Kevin Smith (the director) suffered a massive heart attack caused by a complete blockage of his left anterior descending artery (often called a “widowmaker”).
  • He was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery and survived.
  • He later talked publicly about changing his lifestyle, losing weight, and adopting a vegan diet after doctors told him he needed to lose more weight.

So if you’ve seen posts or forum threads about “Kevin Smith almost died” or “Kevin Smith heart attack,” that’s this living filmmaker, not the New Zealand actor.

Other “Kevin Smith” death stories

There have been news items and videos about other people named Kevin (O.) Smith, including a Jamaican religious leader whose death and autopsy were covered in local news and YouTube commentary, but those refer to a different person entirely , not the actor or the American director.

Because “Kevin Smith” is a very common name, search results often mix:

  • The New Zealand actor who died after a fall in 2002.
  • The American filmmaker who survived a heart attack in 2018.
  • Other unrelated individuals or news stories (like the Jamaican pastor).

Mini FAQ (to avoid mix-ups)

  1. Is Kevin Smith (Silent Bob) dead?
    • No. He is alive; he survived a major heart attack in 2018.
  1. Which Kevin Smith died from a fall?
    • Kevin Tod Smith, the New Zealand actor who played Ares in Xena and Hercules. He died from head injuries after falling several stories on/near a film set in China in February 2002.
  1. Was it self-harm or foul play?
    • Public reporting describes it as an accidental fall; there is no reliable mainstream reporting framing it as self-harm or a deliberate act.

TL;DR:

  • The Kevin Smith who died was Kevin Tod Smith, the New Zealand actor; he died in 2002 from head injuries after an accidental fall from a height on a set in China, and he never regained consciousness.
  • Kevin Smith the director (Silent Bob) is still alive; he survived a severe heart attack in 2018 and continues to work.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.