Renée Victor, ‘Coco' voice actress and ‘Weeds' star, dead at 86

New York Post

2 days ago

Renée Victor, who voiced Abuelita in the Disney film 'Coco' and starred in the Showtime series 'Weeds,' has died at age 86.
Victor passed away after a battle with lymphoma on Friday. She was surrounded by her family at her Sherman Oaks, Calif. home, her agent confirmed to Deadline.
Her daughters, Raquel Victor and Margo Victor, said in a statement: 'Renee was loved by so many & had fans all over the world. Her memory will be cherished by all who knew her.'
Advertisement
10 Renée Victor at the 'Coco' premiere in Los Angeles in Nov. 2017.
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Victor was born in San Antonio, Texas on July 25, 1938. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s and became a singer.
After meeting her husband through dance classes, they began performing as the duo 'Ray & Renée' — nicknamed the Latin Sonny and Cher — from 1963 to 1973.
Advertisement
10 Abuelita (Renee Victor) and Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) in 'Coco.'
Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett / Everett Collection
10 Mary-Louise Parker, Romany Malco, Tess Paras, Renee Victor, Becky Thyre in 'Weeds.'
Showtime Networks Inc./Courtesy Everett Collection
10 Natalie Morales, Renee Victor in 'Dead to Me.'
Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
Victor began working in television after she hosted the KTLA program 'Pacesetters,' which highlighted the Chicano Power movement, and joined the Screen Actors Guild Award.
Advertisement
She made her acting debut in the soap opera 'Hotel' in 1983, followed by roles in 'Masquerade,' 'Scarecrow and Mrs. King' and 'Matlock.'
10 Renee Victor at the 'With Love' Season 2 screening at the 2023 Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival.
Variety via Getty Images
10 Pepe Serna, Constance Marie, Todd Grinnell, Renee Victor, Benito Martinez and Vincent Rodriguez III at the 'With Love' Season 2 special screening.
Variety via Getty Images
Advertisement
On the big screen, she appeared in 'Salsa,' 'The Doctor,' 'Steal Big Steal Little,' 'The Apostle' and 'The Prophecy II' early in her career.
Victor's other notable acting credits included recurring roles in 'ER,' 'Vida,' 'Snowpiercer,' 'Dead to Me,' 'With Love,' 'Mayans M.C.' and 'A Million Little Things.' She also voice acted in 'The Addams Family' animated series.
10 Renee Victor attends Day 1 of the Kari Feinstein Style Lounge at the Andaz Hotel in 2018.
Omar Vega/Invision/AP
In 2005, she joined the cast of 'Weeds' as Lupita, Nancy Botwin's (Mary-Louise Parker) housekeeper.
The Showtime series, which also starred Elizabeth Perkins, Justin Kirk, Tonye Patano, Romany Malco, Hunter Parrish and Alexander Gould, aired from 2005 to 2012.
10 Renee Victor at a Golden Globes party in West Hollywood in 2006.
Getty Images
In 2017, Victor voiced Abuelita in the beloved Disney animated flick 'Coco,' which grossed over $800 million at the worldwide box office and won two Oscars: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for 'Remember Me.'
Pixar shared a tribute to Victor on Instagram following the news of her death.
Advertisement
'We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Renée Victor, the voice Abuelita in Coco and an incredible part of the Pixar family. We will always remember you🧡,' the post read.
10 The cast of 'Coco' at the film's premiere in Los Angeles in Nov. 2017.
Getty Images for Disney
10 Renee Victor receives the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Conga Room at LA Live in Los Angeles in March 2024.
AFP via Getty Images
Advertisement
In a previous interview with Clover Health, Victor gushed over her career and said that acting 'keeps everything sharp.'
'Memorization, blocking, wardrobe, hair, makeup, and the process of getting into your character requires constant investigation and imagination,' she said, 'because the more you do with your character, the more you discover.'