Renowned Colombian actor Gustavo Angarita has died at the age of 83 in a Bogota clinic. The news was confirmed by his niece, fellow Colombian actress Sandra Eichler, in an emotional post on social media.
The Bogota-born actor, painter, and sculptor is remembered for his extensive acting career, which earned him a place among the greatest talents in the history of Colombian television.
Star of acclaimed productions such as La estrategia del caracol, Rasputin, La casa de dos palmas, Tiempo de morir, Perder es cuestion de metodo, and El olvido que seremos, the veteran actor leaves behind a long filmography in both Colombian television and cinema.
A life devoted to theater, television, and film in Colombia
On the morning of Friday, Oct. 17, actress Sandra Eichler, Gustavo Angarita’s niece, confirmed the veteran artist’s death in an emotional message posted on her social media accounts.
“See you later, uncle Gustavo Angarita. Today, I say goodbye to my uncle, to a great Colombian actor, a sculptor of the soul and of matter, and a man who lived life by his own rules, with the freedom of one who never betrays himself,” Eichler wrote on her Instagram account.
“Thank you for your life, for your art, for opening paths and teaching us that being authentic is the most beautiful way to exist. Your legacy remains engraved — like your sculptures — in the memory of Colombian art and in the hearts of those of us who had the privilege of loving you,” continued the late actor’s niece.
According to reports, the actor had been battling cancer for some time, a disease that had metastasized throughout his body. Hospitalized in a clinic in the Colombian capital, he spent his final days in a palliative care unit until he passed away early Friday morning from complications related to his illness.
Throughout his career, he has received awards such as the Lifetime Achievement Award at The Colombian Film Festival New York and the Best Actor Award at the Binational Film Festival between Venezuela and Colombia for Sofia y el terco, according to the Colombian Film Heritage.
Who was Gustavo Angarita?
Gustavo Angarita was much more than an actor: He was a living school of performance, a key figure in understanding the evolution of theater, film, and television in Colombia. His death leaves a profound void in national culture, but also a legacy that will endure for generations. With a career spanning more than five decades, Angarita was one of the most recognizable and beloved faces among the public — an actor who combined professional rigor with deep human sensitivity.
Born in Bogota in 1942, Gustavo Angarita discovered his passion for theater while studying law at university, studies he never completed after abandoning them for his true calling: acting.
He trained at the Bogota School of Dramatic Arts before pursuing specialized studies in Paris. It is said that it was precisely in the French capital that he became captivated by painting and by the works of artists such as Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, and Joan Miro, developing another of his artistic pursuits: painting.
Upon returning to Colombia, he began performing in theaters in the nation’s capital, such as La Candelaria and the Teatro Popular de Bogota (TPB), where he built a career marked by stage experimentation and social commitment. He performed in iconic plays such as Richard III, The Threepenny Opera, and I took Panama, touring the country with productions that defined an era.
Fifteen years later, his transition to television cemented his popularity. He appeared in productions fondly remembered by audiences, such as Rasputin, Revivamos nuestra historia, La casa de las dos palmas — a soap opera that earned him the India Catalina Award and the Simon Bolivar Award for Best Actor — El bazar de los idiotas, La Potra Zaina, and Chepe Fortuna, among many others.
He also took part in major film productions, including Tiempo de morir (1985), La estrategia del caracol (1993), Bolivar soy yo (2001), La pena maxima (2001), Gallows Hill (2013), Los 33 (2015), La Bestia (2018), and El olvido que seremos (2020), among others.
Today, after six months of illness and hospitalization due to the worsening of his cancer, Angarita passed away, leaving behind an extensive acting career and the lasting admiration of the Colombian people.