Elite actor Julián Ortega collapsed and died on Zahora beach in Spain at around 5:30 pm on Sunday, August 25, 2024, Spanish news outlet The Olive Press reports. He was 41. Multiple early reports said Ortega drowned, but his official cause of death has now been confirmed.
Officials now say Ortega’s official cause of death was cardiac arrest, and he was not in the water when he died. Paramedics tried to revive the actor for 30 minutes before he was pronounced dead at the scene. Ortega collapsed in full view of other beachgoers and a popular bar. Spain’s Union de Actores y Actrices published an Ortega obituary the day after Ortega’s death was announced. The actors union offered “sincere condolences” to Ortega’s family and friends.
As well as Elite, the Real Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático-trained actor was known for roles in Cable Girls, Caronte, Velvet, The Countryside, and most recently the Spanish soap opera, 4 Estrellas, according to People. It’s unclear if Ortega was married or had children. Actress and actor Gloria Muñoz and José Antonio Ortega, Julián’s mother and father, are still alive. Ortega was born in Madrid.
Ortega tributes on social media
When Julián Ortega’s death was announced, friends, fans, and colleagues shared statements on social media. Actress Sílvia Marsó wrote on Instagram (translated from Spanish via People), “I can’t even imagine how these parents, colleagues, so beloved in the profession, are feeling. How horrible.”
Meanwhile, actress Raquel Guerrero wrote (via People) “A pleasure to have been able to share a bit of this life and be able to enjoy your education, your humility and your work.”
According to Ortega’s IMDB, he had completed work on Trompeta, directed by Damián López Asla, before he died.
Published: Aug 29, 2024 04:35 pm