Renée Victor, the seasoned actress warmly remembered for bringing Abuelita to life in Pixar’s Coco, has died at 86.
Deadline reports that Victor’s representatives confirmed her peaceful passing at her Sherman Oaks residence, with loved ones by her side. Lymphoma was listed as the cause of death. Her daughters, Raquel and Margo Victor, released a joint statement saying: “Renée was loved by so many and had fans all over the world. Her memory will be cherished by all who knew her.”
A San Antonio native born on July 25, 1938, Victor launched her showbiz journey as a singer and dancer, taking the stage with iconic Latin music leaders including Xavier Cugat and Perez Prado. Together with her husband, Victor traveled the world as part of “Ray & Renee,” a musical pair often called the “Latin Sonny & Cher.”
Victor broke ground in 1970s television by hosting KTLA’s Pacesetters, a show that highlighted the Chicano Power movement. Following her SAG membership in 1973, she shifted focus to acting, landing parts in Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Matlock, The Doctor, The Apostle, and A Night in Old Mexico, where she collaborated with close friend Robert Duvall.
Beyond Coco, her voice acting credits featured the 1992 animated The Addams Family series. Her later career included appearances in Vida, Mayans M.C., Snowpiercer, Weeds, Dead to Me, Gentefied, and A Million Little Things.
