Netflix’s ‘Elite’ star Julian Ortega dies at 41
Julián Ortega, an actor who was famous for starring in Netflix’s Spanish hit series Elite, has passed away after collapsing on a beach. After featuring in six episodes of the hit series as well as obtaining credits in a range of other shows, the actor passed away at 41 years old.
The Spanish Union of Actors and Actresses confirmed news of the actor’s death. In a statement, they acknowledged Ortega’s passing, and sent their well wishes to those closest to him, stating, “From the Unión de Actores y Actrices, we send our most sincere condolences to the actor’s family and friends.”
Initially, it was reported that Ortega had died as a result of drowning in the sea, however, the local English-language newspaper, The Olive Press, state Ortega collapsed on the shore of Zahora Beach in Barbat on the evening of August 25th.
Olive Press also claim that Ortega went into cardiac arrest, which caused him to collapse. Paramedics arrived on the scene and spent 30 minutes attempting to revive the actor, but unfortunately, he passed away.
One of Ortega’s biggest roles came on the Netflix show Elite. It was one of Netflix’s most established Spanish original series, and though Ortega may not have been a recurring character in all eight seasons, he did appear in six episodes and left enough of an impression to be remembered by fans.
He starred in the series as the manager of La Cabana in 2018. After six seasons, Elite has only recently finished after eight years of being on screens.
Other noteworthy credits of his include Caronte, a crime drama that streamed on Amazon Prime Video, as well as The Countryside, Untameable and MyLove Lost.
Tributes have poured in for the actor. Spanish actress Silvia Marsó has weighed in on the sad situation, paying tribute to Ortega on her social media. She took to Instagram, saying that it was difficult for her to comprehend the news and describing the situation as “absolute sadness.” She also described Ortega as “a tremendous actor and an upright, honest partner.”
Jose Gomez-Friha also paid tribute to the actor, commending him for his knowledge and patience. He specifically thanked Ortega for “teaching me when I was learning. How patient with me!… I will always remember you. Thank you. How shameless life is.”