Actor Julian Ortega Dies Unexpectedly After Collapsing On A Beach

Netflix actor Julian Ortega has died at age 41 after collapsing on a Beach in Spain.

Fellow actors have since paid heartfelt tributes to Ortega, who is widely recognized for his work on “Elite” and other Spanish TV series.

Julian Ortega had recently completed work on the film “Trompeta” and shared a touching Instagram post in March, reflecting on his experiences with colleagues.

Spanish actor Julian Ortega, renowned for his role in the Netflix series “Elite,” has tragically passed away at the age of 41.

The incident took place on Sunday at Zahora Beach in Barbate, Spain, where Ortega suffered a cardiac arrest in front of onlookers.

According to The Sun, despite paramedics’ efforts to revive him for 30 minutes, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The news of Ortega’s death was shared through a statement from Spain’s national Unión de Actores y Actrices.

“We send our most sincere condolences to the actor’s family and friends,” the message read.

Since the announcement, fellow actors have been paying heartfelt tributes to Ortega.

Spanish actor Fernando Tejero expressed his sorrow, saying, “I am broken with pain, dear colleague… what a great actor and what a beautiful person you are, Julian Ortega… fly high, hugs to your father and mother.”

Actress Silvia Marso also expressed her grief at Ortega’s loss. She wrote: “My friend @lauracepedagolferichs just called me to give me the bad news that Julian Ortega Rodriguez has passed away, a tremendous actor and a colleague of integrity, honesty and as good a person as his parents Gloria Muñoz and Jose Antonio Ortega.”

“I can’t even imagine how these parents, colleagues, so beloved in the profession, are. How horrible… I can’t take it in. Absolute sadness,” she added.

Ortega’s “The Countryside” co-star Paco Collado also expressed his condolences on X, writing (translated to English): “It was a great pleasure [Julián Ortega] to play your father in [‘The Countryside’] you left us with sympathy, generosity and professionalism, many hugs friend and also to your family, a real shame in the prime of your youth, RIP Julian.”

Ortega was widely recognized for his role in the Spanish teen drama series “Elite,” which aired on Netflix for eight seasons between 2018 and 2024.

The show, set in an elite high school for wealthy and privileged teenagers, became a massive hit, with Netflix announcing that the first season was streamed by over 20 million accounts within its first month of release in 2019. Ortega appeared in six episodes, portraying the manager of the restaurant La Cabaña.

The show received multiple nominations for the prestigious Fotogramas de Plata Awards, which have been presented annually by the Spanish film magazine Fotogramas since 1951.

In 2019, “Elite” was honored with the “Killer Series” award at the MTV MIAW Awards, an event hosted by MTV Latin America that mirrors the American MTV Music Video Awards.

In addition to “Elite,” Ortega had several other significant roles in Spanish television, including appearances in “4 Estrellas,” “The Countryside,” “Caronte,” “Untameable,” and “La que se avecina.”

According to his IMDb, he had recently completed work on the upcoming film “Trompeta” before his untimely death.

His last Instagram post, shared on March 19, was a heartfelt homage to a project he had been involved in.

Writing in Spanish, Ortega reflected on how the people he worked with “made me learn, enjoy, and freak out so much in colors.”

Amid news of his death, fans of the actor flocked to his final IG post to pay tribute to him and send their condolences to his family.

“How sad and unfair life is!!! R.I.P Julian,” a fan wrote along with a crying emoji and broken heart emoji.

Another person said, “Funny fate that your last post was just like this… Now that you have passed on, rest in peace, and may the light illuminate and give strength to your family and loved ones.”

One more individual noted, “Brother, you [are starting’ another new LIFE. We won’t forget you. Bravo for everything you’ve taught here.”