By KIRSTY WYNN
Acting hunk Kevin Smith died yesterday in a Chinese hospital after suffering massive head injuries in a fall 11 days ago.
A doctor at Beijing Union Hospital said Smith, 38, had been on life support after being admitted on February 6 in a coma.
He had been unable to move and suffered severe brain damage.
The doctor - who did not want to be named - said Kevin's only other injury was a broken right hand.
His cause of death was suspected septic shock.
The doctor said Kevin's friend said he was fatally injured in a fall.
"His friend told us he fell from stairs," he told Sunday News.
Police were not investigating the accident, he said.
The doctor said Kevin's family wanted to take his body back to New Zealand for the funeral.
Oliver Driver - who directed Kevin in last year's play The Blue Room - said Kevin's death was a huge loss to all Kiwis.
"The world is a much less pleasant place without him."
Oliver said last night's premiere of The Vagina Monologues in Auckland was dedicted to the brooding actor and theatre-goers observed a minute's silence before the show.
The play stars Kevin's good friends and colleagues Lucy Lawless and Danielle Cormack.
Elizabeth Hawthorne starred with Kevin in last year's play A Streetcar Named Desire.
"He was beautiful to work with. He was terribly gentle, very funny, and of course, gorgeous," she said.
Kevin's ability to laugh at his macho image saw him take part in comedy debates alongside Sunday News columnist Kerre Woodham.
"He was a very clever man and it's a shame people won't get the chance to see more of his amazing talents," said Kerre.
"Someone that good looking and that talented could easily be a total jerk but he wasn't."
Once Were Warriors star Temuera Morrison said: "New Zealand has lost one of its talented sons."