WASHINGTON — Actress Ana Ofelia Murguía, who voiced the titular great-grandmother Mama Coco in the Disney movie, has died, the Mexican National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature confirmed Sunday. She was 90.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the institute expressed condolences for Murguía's family.
She played a key role in the animated film, about a boy in Mexico who travels to the land of the dead to uncover the secrets of his family's past. It received widespread praise for its attention to Mexican folklore, culture and and the traditions Dia de Los Muertos — the Mexican Day of the Dead.
The film won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2018.
The National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature said in a translated post that her career was "vital for the performing arts of Mexico."
"With deep sadness, we regret the sensitive death of the leading actress Ana Ofelia Murguía, who was part of the stable cast of the National Theater Company of Mexico, and whose artistic career was vital for the performing arts of Mexico," the institute's post read.
Even before her voice acting performance in Coco, Murguía was a well-respected Mexican actress.
She received the lifetime achievement Golden Ariel Award in 2011 for a 40-year career on stage and screen, and has received the prestigious Mexican film industry award.
Murguía also holds the record for most nominations without a win for Best Actress at the Ariel Awards. She was nominated six times, only winning three of those years: in 1979, 1986 and 1996.