September 16: Domingos Montagner, who is an actor in Brazil’s most popular soap opera “Velho Chico”, reportedly drowned in the same river the show was named after.
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The 54-year-old played a lead role in Velho Chico – a soap opera named after the river Sao Francisco, where he died on Thursday (15 September).
Jose Aparecido Cardoso is director of the state Legal Medical Institute.
Local residents initially thought the pair were acting out scenes for the soap when the actress cried for help. Domingos Montagner was swimming with his co-star, Camila Pitanga, when he was dragged under and carried away by the current.
“Our final journey to film ‘Velho Chico, ‘ ” he says to the camera, hugging Pitanga and actor Gabriel Leone.
The local police chief said the area was not safe, and that locals avoid the area for swimming, the O Globo newspaper reports. Ironically, he was shot multiple times and appeared to drown in the same river he drowned in in real life during one episode – but re-emerged a few weeks later.
Four hours after the incident, rescue teams found Montagner’s body underwater, some 300 metres (984ft) from where he drowned.
Domingo, who was born in Sao Paulo, started out in the circus before landing his first TV role.
Montagner is survived his wife Luciana Lima and three children Leo Montagner, Dante Montagner and Antonio Montagner.
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Social media users in Brazil have paid tribute to the actor.
