Natalia Dontcheva, the Bulgarian actress who played Julie Derville in the French remake of ITV’s Doc Martin, has died aged 56. Her agent, Laurent Savry, confirmed the news and said she had been living with a decade-long illness. The cause of death was not confirmed.
In a statement, Savry said: “It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of Natalia Dontcheva. A profoundly talented artist and woman of great sensitivity, Natalia Dontcheva touched audiences with the precision of her performances, her elegance and her dedication to her craft. Throughout her career, she earned the respect of her co-stars, directors, film crews and all who had the privilege of working alongside her.”
Tributes from stepson Hugo Selignac
Her stepson, Hugo Selignac, paid an emotional tribute on Instagram: “I never liked the title ‘stepmother’ – because when we met, I was no longer a child, and I’d already had a stepmother before. But you have no idea what a truly beautiful person I found you to be, or how deeply I loved who you were. Thank you for the bond you fought so hard to nurture within our family.”
He continued: “Thank you for the confidence you instilled in me by always looking at me with pride, ever since my teenage years. After a ten-year battle, you are finally going to rest. Enjoy it to the fullest; it’s been so long since you’ve had that chance. I will miss you, my beautiful Natalia.”
Doc Martin and other career highlights
Dontcheva took on the role of Julie Derville in 2011, appearing in the French version of the hit ITV show for four years.
Her co-star Tatiana Gousseff also shared a tribute on Instagram, writing: “Natalia…. I took this photo on the port of Doëlan, in Brittany, where we were filming Doc Martin. I always had my Argentine Nikon handy, for four seasons, I shot…until I could no longer. Oh, how we laughed! Such wonderful memories! And how I loved discovering you in the theatre later in the beautiful role of Dorothy Parker….I am speechless.”
Outside Doc Martin, Dontcheva starred in the 2015 production Arletty, A Guilty Passion. In 2018, she appeared in Lady J alongside Edouard Baer and Cecile de France.
