Entertainment Weekly reports that Lisa Spoonauer, the actress who played Caitlin Bree, one-third of the love triangle that partially powers Kevin Smith’s debut feature, Clerks, has died. Spoonauer was 44.
Spoonauer’s acting career was brief; her only IMDB credits are Clerks, a guest-star appearance on its animated spin-off, and a part in Gabe Torres’ Bartender. After a brief marriage to co-star Jeff Anderson, she gave up acting, working instead as a restaurant manager and event planner in New Jersey, raising two children with her husband Tom. Her obituary briefly mentions her acting career, but doesn’t dwell on the fact that she once starred in one of the iconic cult films of the late 20th century.
Smith posted a tribute to Spoonauer on social media today, praising not just her acting—which he first saw while scouting community college acting courses, looking for actors to fill out his indie cast—but also her warmth and devotion as a mother. (The two would apparently Facebook chat, mostly about their kids.) “Thank you for dreaming my dream with me,” Smith finishes. “You changed my life, Lisa.”