Beloved voice actress Ana Ofelia Murguía, best known for performing the fan-favorite character Mama Coco in Disney-Pixar’s hit 2017 film Coco, has passed away at the age of 90.
The National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (NIFA) broke the tragic news on X (formerly known as Twitter), on Sunday.
NIFA expressed its profound sorrow over the loss of prominent actress Ana Ofelia Murguía. She was a member of the regular cast of the @CNTeatromx of #INBAL and her artistic career played a crucial role in the development of Mexican performing arts.
“We send condolences and lovingly hug her family and friends,” the organization said in closing.
Although the reason of her death is unknown, admirers hurried to social media to mourn the renowned artist as soon as the news broke. admirers posted a plethora of memorials on the platform.
Mexican-born Murguía is most known for her appearances in The Queen of the Night (1994) and Nobody Will Speak of Us When We’re Dead (1995), as well as the 2017 Disney-Pixar animated film Coco.
The animated musical comedy by Disney-Pixar In the film Coco, a young Mexican boy pursues his ambition of becoming a musician by visiting the Land of the Dead to discover more about his family’s history.
Its foundation lies in the customs related to the Day of the Dead.
According to The Sun, she received a medal in April 2023 “in recognition of her contributions to the industry” and has received five Ariel Award nominations for Best Actress over her career.
Maria Salud Ramirez Caballero, a 109-year-old Mexican who is said to have been the inspiration for Mama Coco, passed away last year.
Roberto Monroy, the state of Michoacan’s secretary of tourism, verified her passing.
In addition to revealing that Caballero died in Santa Fe de la Laguna, the same place where she was born more than a century ago, Monroy recalled the legend as a “tireless woman and life model.”
He said in a statement: ‘I am deeply saddened by the passing of Maria Salud Ramirez Caballero, “Mama Coco”, a tireless woman and example of life, who was the inspiration for this beloved character that went around the world.
‘I pray for her eternal rest and for her family to find peace of mind.’
After the character of the same name she had inspired in the animated film, Caballero was given the nickname “Mama Coco.” Although her family claims that a Pixar team visited their area, extensively photographed, and even lived with them for a while, Disney has never officially acknowledged Caballero’s inspiration for the beloved character. Her family has been unsuccessful in their attempts to have her recognized as the inspiration for Mama Coco since the film’s release in 2017.
