Erik Ruus, a renowned actor celebrated worldwide, has passed away.
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Russ, an Estonian actor, died on April 22, as reported by Virumaa Teataja.
He passed away at 62, just one day shy of his 63rd birthday.
Ruus built a diverse career spanning film, television, and stage from the late 1980s to the 2010s. After graduating from the Viljandi Culture Academy in 1982, he joined the Rakvere Theatre, where he performed from 1985 to 1995 and again from 1996 to 2009. In between, from 1995 to 1996, he was part of the Endla Theatre in Pärnu. In 2009, Ruus began freelancing, continuing to work as an actor in film and TV productions.
Erik Ruus,,, ( 23 April 1962 🕊️ 22 April 2025) passed away at 62.
— Rest In Peace News (@RestInpeacenews) April 23, 2025
Profession: Estonian actor (The Birdwatcher and Firewater) pic.twitter.com/3KKJ4MWPdF
A standout in his filmography is Tulivesi (Firewater), alongside Vaatleja (The Birdwatcher). He also delivered a notable performance in the TV film August 1991, which chronicles a true story set during Estonia’s Restoration of Independence.
Fellow Actors Pay Tribute to Erik Ruus, Praise His Commitment to His Craft
The Virumaa Teataja conducted interviews with several individuals who collaborated with Ruus at the historic Rakvere Theatre in Rakvere, Estonia.
Peeter Raudsepp, Rakvere Theatre’s creative director, said Russ “had strength and sensitivity as an actor, I remember that discussions with him about productions often lasted past midnight, and he always managed to surprise with a new color and shade of relationship on stage,” he told the outlet, per a Google Translation.
“He was so primitive that it was sometimes painful to watch,” actress Ăślle Lichtfeldt recalled. She went on to compare Russ to some of the greatest film actors of the 20th century.
“There was something about him, his stage charm was so strong … Erik would have probably offered competition to Anthony Hopkins and Robert de Niro, not to mention Al Pacino. I would put him in the category of those actors.”