She later moved in with her aunt, Alice Cocéa,[5] a film actress and star of the Parisian theatre, who introduced and encouraged Cocea to take up the acting profession.

[7] In 1941[8] Cocea founded an acting troupe, Teatrul Nostru ("Our Theater") and took as partners, Fory Etterle, Eugenia Zaharia, and Peter Niro.

[11] Cocea died on 28 October 2008 of a heart attack, about a month shy of her 96th birthday, having entered Floreasca Hospital just days before suffering from a pulmonary infection.

Following her death, former Romanian President, Ion Iliescu and Culture Minister Adrian Iorgulescu, among other dignitaries, expressed sorrow.

[2][12] On 30 October 2008, Cocea's body was laid in repose in the foyer of Bucharest's National Theatre where last respects were paid by dignitaries, actors such as Gheorghe Dinică, Marin Moraru, and Ion Caramitru, many of her former students, friends, and relatives, as well as students of the Caragiale Academy of Theatrical Arts and Cinematography[6] On 31 October 2008 Cocea was interred at Bellu Cemetery, where she was given military honors at the funeral.