SHERMAN OAKS—Hollywood is mourning the loss of actress Renée Victor who died in her Sherman Oaks home on Friday, May 30 after a battle with lymphoma. The actress most recently voiced Miguel’s, Abuelita Elena, in the Disney animated movie “Coco” in 2017.
Victor was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1938. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s and was known not only as an actress, but a singer and dance instructor who taught tango and salsa. SHe played a pivotal role in helping to popularize Latin music in the U.S. alongisde Perez Prado and Xavier Cugat. She performed with her husband as a duo known as “Ray & Renee” for 10 years from 1963 to 1973.
Her first acting role was in the 1988 flick “Salsa” where she was a dancer. She appeared in the 2014 horror flick, “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones,” as well as the 2018 remake of “Superfly.” Victor has also appeared in a host of TV series including “ER,” “Weeds,” Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne,” “The Super Man,” “Vida,” “Snowpiercer,” “With Love” and most recently in 2023’s “A Million Little Things.”
Pixar posted the following message on May 31 on their Instagram page after hearing about the passing of Victor:
“We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Renee Victor, the voice of Abuelita in Coco and an incredible part of the Pixar family. We will always remember you.”
She is survived by her daughters Margo and Raquel.
By Danny Jones