Beloved Star of Disney/Pixar’s ‘Coco’ Passes Away on New Year’s Eve

The beauty of Disney/Pixar’s Coco (2017) is the underlying message that as long as someone remembers you, your life will continue on. So, the more significant the impact you make in life, the more likely that your memory will live on long after you are gone. And that is how actress Ana Ofelia Murguia will be remembered, with her legions of fans and the millions of children she made happy with her portrayal of Mama Coco in Pixar’s Coco. 

Lamentamos el fallecimiento de la gran actriz Ana Ofelia Murgía, integrante del elenco estable de la @CNTeatromx en calidad de actriz de número. La actriz deja una profunda huella en los escenarios mexicanos.

Enviamos condolencias a su familia y amigos.https://t.co/7PieB1sVfG… pic.twitter.com/yKHRsYUD99

— Cartelera de Teatro (@elteatrocdmx) December 31, 2023

The Mexican National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (NIFA) announced Ana Ofelia Murguia died on New Year’s Eve via social media. She had a career that spanned more than 55 years on stage and screen, but American audiences will remember her for her role as Mama Coco.

Ana Ofelia Murguia was born in Mexico City, Mexico, in 1933. She made her acting debut on Mexican television in 1967. Throughout her career, she was nominated for 14 different awards, including four Ariel Award for Best Actress nominations. The Ariel Award is given yearly to the best in Mexican cinema. As she got older, Ana Ofelia Murguia took on more supporting roles in Mexican cinema and would be nominated for supporting actress awards for her work.

However, Mexican actress Ana Ofelia Murguia is best remembered for the film Coco, in which she played the title character. The film would win two Academy Awards for Best Animated Film and Best Original Song for “Remember Me,” which Ofelia Murguia performed near the movie’s end.

Mama Coco was the family’s matriarch whose father left to pursue his musical career. When her great-grandson, Miguel, ends up in the land of the dead on Dia De Los Muertos, he learns that her father, Hector, actually tries to return to her but is killed by Ernesto De la Cruz before he can leave. Miguel reminds Mama Coco of her father by singing “Remember Me,” and Hector returns to his place within the family.

In a coincidental twist, Maria Salud Ramirez Caballero, the woman who inspired Mama Coco in the film Coco, also died in 2023 at the age of 109. No cause of death was given for actress Ana Ofelia Murguia. She will be remembered for her deep body of work, and there is a deep sadness amongst her fans as they remember her long and storied artistic career.

We will continue to update this story at Disney Fanatic.