The driver's name was Joi "SJ" Harris, a New York native who was 40 years old, and working on her first film. Harris died during filming in downtown Vancouver Monday morning when the motorcycle she was riding crashed into a building, throwing her through a plate glass window.
Local authorities are still trying to determine the cause of the accident, but witnesses say that Harris performed the stunt without incident four times, before something went wrong during the fifth try. In addition to police, several different organizations are investigating the accident, including WorkSafeBC and SAG-AFTRA.
Harris was a trailblazing rider, noting on her personal blog that she was the first African-American female professional road racer. In a 2015 interview with Black Girls Ride magazine, she said she was proud of that distinction, and wanted to inspire others.
"I am everything people never saw in this sport," Harris told the magazine. "Sisters on the track are few and far in between. I want to show them that there's more for them to be exposed to. I want to get kids interested through experience."
On Tuesday, Porsche Taylor, the editor of Black Girls Ride and a close friend of Harris, took to Facebook to remember the late rider, noting that Harris's "Deadpool 2" gig was "the opportunity of a lifetime."
"SJ has overcome life's adversity to ride on the biggest stage there was for a motorcycle rider," Taylor wrote on Facebook. "She died while living her dream out loud, and doing what she loved till the end."
"Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds offered condolences for Harris on social media on Monday, and his costar Josh Brolin also shared his sadness in an Instagram post:
"We are mourning the death of a beautiful woman who died tragically this morning on our set. I never met her, but I know she was a friend, a sister, a daughter and a mentor. And the heart breaks and will slowly mend together as time sews beautiful memories honoring her."
Deadline reports that production on the film has shut down in the wake of Harris's death, though it's unclear for how long. "Deadpool 2" is slated for release sometime in 2018.
[via: The Hollywood Reporter, SJ Harris, Porshe Taylor, h/t People]