Nelu Cortea

Nelu Cortea (full name Ioan Mihai Cortea) is a Romanian stand-up comedian and actor born on October 10, 1985, in Cluj-Napoca. A trained theater actor who graduated from the National University of Theatrical Arts and Cinematography (UNATC) in Bucharest in 2008, he transitioned into stand-up comedy around 2015. He is a co-founder of The Fool comedy club in Bucharest and performed before an audience of 7,800 people at Sala Polivalenta - one of the largest stand-up shows in Romania.

Nelu Cortea launched his stand-up career as an opening act for his friends Catalin Bordea and Micutzu, who co-founded The Fool comedy club with him in Bucharest in 2018. His material frequently tackles satirical, political, and religious subjects, including controversial takes on the Bible that have generated significant public debate in Romania. He released the stand-up special "Pe Ulei" on YouTube in September 2023, followed by "Retro Parenting" in December 2024, filmed at Cinema Dacia in Cluj-Napoca before a full house. In 2023, Cortea and Bordea won the fifth season of the reality competition America Express (Antena 1), earning 30,000 euros. He also served as a juror on iUmor (Antena 1) before departing the show. In 2025, he appeared as a special guest in the stand-up format The Mic and headlined the Fool's Night Out show at Sala Palatului in October 2025 alongside Bordea and Radu Bucalae.

Nelu Cortea regularly performs at The Fool comedy club in Bucharest and tours across Romania. He headlined major arena events, including Fool's Night Out at Sala Palatului in October 2025 (October 6-7). Upcoming shows are announced on his Instagram (@nelucortea) and Facebook page. His stand-up specials "Pe Ulei" (2023) and "Retro Parenting" (2024) are available for free on his YouTube channel.