Julián Ortega of Netflix’s Elite passes away at 41

Julián Ortega, one of the actors on Netflix’s hit Spanish series Elite, passed away on August 25 in Barbate, Spain. He was 41 years old.

Variety reported his cause of death as cardiac arrest. Initial reports claimed that the actor had drowned while at Zahora Beach, authorities later said he went into cardiac arrest while on the shore. Paramedics were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

Ortega played the manager of the La Cabana restaurant in Elite, appearing in several episodes of the first season. Elite had an eight-season run with its final episode airing on July 26.

Elite tells the story of a group of working-class teens who study at a prestigious private high school and clash with the elite. The show has been nominated for several Spanish awards. It also won killer series at the MTV MIAW Awards.

Ortega also acted in 4 estrellas, Untameable, Sentimos las molestias and The Countryside.