‘Isidingo’ star mourned

WELLKNOWN South African actress Ashley Callie will be remembered in a memorial service at the Johannesburg Country Club on Thursday.

Callie (32) died on Friday – a week after sustaining severe head injuries in a horror car accident in Johannesburg. She was well-known for her portrayal of Leone Haines in the prime-time television soap opera, ‘Isidingo’, on SABC 3.”It is very difficult, the cast are supporting each other but it has been very difficult,” News24 quoted ‘Isidingo’ executive producer Pumla Hopa as saying.Callie was involved in a head-on collision on Friday, February 8.News of her death sent shockwaves through the country, with hundreds of tributes and messages of condolences pouring in from fans and viewers.Hundreds of responses were posted on the ashleycallie.co.za website created by her fans to support her while in hospital after the accident.South African Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan said he was deeply shocked and saddened by the untimely death of a young, gifted South African television actress.”We were truly blessed to have a young, gifted South African who stretched all the sinews in her body to reflect the ideals of a united, non-racial and non-sexist society.Lala ngoxolo (rest in peace), Ms Callie!,” Jordan said in a statement.Callie was born in Johannesburg and received a BA Honours degree in Dramatic Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand.She spent time in Cape Town doing various commercials, both for the South African market and overseas.But it was with the role of the feisty Leone Haines that Ashley embedded herself in South African hearts.Her role as the daughter of businessman Barker Haines, earned her an award in 2006 as Best Actress for her role in Isidingo.From women24.com and tvsa.com – Fans can visit her website at: www.ashleycallie.co.zaShe was well-known for her portrayal of Leone Haines in the prime-time television soap opera, ‘Isidingo’, on SABC 3.”It is very difficult, the cast are supporting each other but it has been very difficult,” News24 quoted ‘Isidingo’ executive producer Pumla Hopa as saying.Callie was involved in a head-on collision on Friday, February 8.News of her death sent shockwaves through the country, with hundreds of tributes and messages of condolences pouring in from fans and viewers.Hundreds of responses were posted on the ashleycallie.co.za website created by her fans to support her while in hospital after the accident.South African Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan said he was deeply shocked and saddened by the untimely death of a young, gifted South African television actress.”We were truly blessed to have a young, gifted South African who stretched all the sinews in her body to reflect the ideals of a united, non-racial and non-sexist society.Lala ngoxolo (rest in peace), Ms Callie!,” Jordan said in a statement.Callie was born in Johannesburg and received a BA Honours degree in Dramatic Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand.She spent time in Cape Town doing various commercials, both for the South African market and overseas.But it was with the role of the feisty Leone Haines that Ashley embedded herself in South African hearts.Her role as the daughter of businessman Barker Haines, earned her an award in 2006 as Best Actress for her role in Isidingo.From women24.com and tvsa.com – Fans can visit her website at: www.ashleycallie.co.za