Raphael Cruz

{{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

|image_size=

|caption=

|birth_name=

|birth_date=September 5, 1986

|birth_place=Vallejo, California, United States

|death_date={{death date and age|2018|1|26|1986|9|5}}

|death_place=Paris, France

|nationality=American

|occupation=Acrobat, clown, actor

}}

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.

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.{{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}} In 2011, Cruz played the lead role of Buster, a Buster Keaton inspired character, in the cinema themed Cirque du Soleil production Iris.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} Raphael was part of the choreography team for the opening ceremonies for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.{{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}}

Raphael died unexpectedly at 31 years old on January 26, 2018, in Paris from undiagnosed heart ailment causing heart and lung failure.{{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}}

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.