Julian Ortega, 1983 – 2024

Actor Julian Ortega, 41, collapsed and died (purportedly of cardiac arrest) on a beach in Spain on August 25. Born in Madrid, Ortega was the son of actress Gloria Muñoz, and made his movie and TV debuts at the turn of the century. He costarred in the series Elite, The Countryside, and 4 Estrella, and made appearances in numerous other Spanish TV shows and movies (his latest, Trompeta, is in post-production). Actress Silvia Marso said of Ortega, “He was an incredible actor and a colleague who was as genuine, honest, and kind as his parents. I can’t even begin to imagine how his parents and everyone who knew him in the industry must be feeling. It’s just awful.”