Actor Ionut Antonie has died at the age of 59. He was at risk of being buried as an unclaimed person / “We managed to find one of Ionuț’s relatives.”

Actor Ionuț Antonie, known for the roles he played at the Ion Creangă Theatre, died on Friday at the age of 59, and by Tuesday evening no relative had been identified. The situation risked leading to a funeral organized by Bucharest City Hall, in accordance with the procedure for people without next of kin.

Actress Ioana Ginghină, Antonie’s former colleague, published a poster on Facebook on Tuesday asking for help finding the actor’s family. The appeal was shared in neighborhood groups and on other artists’ pages. On Wednesday, the actress announced that a relative had been identified, and that colleagues were preparing the chapel so that those close to him and members of the public could pay their respects.

According to legal procedure, in the absence of a person designated by contract or will, responsibility falls to the spouse and relatives up to and including the fourth degree, including first cousins. If they cannot be found, the funeral is taken over by the city hall of the locality where the death occurred. For Antonie, Străulești 2 Cemetery had been designated.

Born in Bucharest in 1967 and a graduate of UNATC, the actor played characters such as Captain Nemo, Setilă, Moș Vasile and Zmeul Zmeilor.