Ana Ofelia Murguía, the actress who was the voice behind Mama Coco in Pixar’s beloved animated film Coco, has died. She was 90 years old.
Mexico's National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature shared the news of her passing, writing that her “artistic career was vital for the performing arts of Mexico.”
Murguía had a long career, extending across 70 years in stage, film, and TV. Her first acting role was in the 1967 television series La Tormenta. She later starred in films like 1979’s Life Sentence and 2008’s Tear This Heart Out—and in shows like Mozart in the Jungle, Tric Trac, and Uroboros. Her last time on-screen was as Abuela Carmelita in José José: El príncipe de la canción in 2018.
In Coco, she played the main character, Miguel’s great-grandmother, who is bound to a wheelchair. The film follows 12-year-old Miguel as he disobeys his family’s ban on music when entering the Land of the Dead to meet his great-great-grandfather, a famous singer. Together, Miguel and Coco sing the movie’s hit song, “Remember Me,” which later won Best Original Song at the Oscars.
In April 2023, Murguía won the Ingmar Bergman Chair Medal for her storied contributions to the entertainment industry.
“Acting has been the passion of my life,” she said during her acceptance speech, per Entertainment Weekly. “I have never worked to collect an award. I have always loved this career, which I found by pure fluke. I'm happy. I feel like a very lucky woman.”
Last October, the woman who apparently inspired Mama Coco's character, María Salud Ramírez Caballero, died at the age of 109.
Coco director and co-writer Lee Unkrich and his team reportedly visited the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guanajuato over two years to draw inspiration for the Rivera family. Caballero's family says María was photographed by the production crew, making them believe Mama Coco's appearance was based on her likeness.
