Ana Ofelia Murguía, one of Mexico’s most acclaimed actresses whose voice as Mama Coco in the animated film “Coco” brought her international recognition, died on Sunday. She was 90 years old.
His death was confirmed by the National Institute of Fine Arts and the National Theater Company of Mexico, which did not specify the cause of death.
The National Theater Company described Murguía on social media as “one of the greatest actresses in Mexico.” In a statement, Lucina Jiménez López, director of the National Institute of Fine Arts, described her career as one that “marked an entire era.”
In the 2017 film “Coco”, made by Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios, Murguía plays the key role of Mama Coco, the great-grandmother of a boy, the protagonist Miguel, who finds himself in the land of the dead on a journey to discover the history of his family. At the emotional climax of the film, Miguel and Mama Coco sing the song “Remember Me” together.
The film, built around the Mexican holiday of the Day of the Dead, was celebrated for its depiction of Mexican culture and its handling of important topics such as death in a children’s film. It won Best Animated Film and Best Original Song, for “Remember Me,” at the 2018 Oscars.
“Coco” introduced Murguía to a global audience, but she was well known in her home country of Mexico long before that.
Ana Ofelia Murguía was born on December 8, 1933 in Mexico City. She studied acting at the National School of Theatrical Arts of Mexico and made her debut in 1954 in the comedy “Trial By Fire”. Her first film role was in the 1964 film “Transit.”
He will appear in more than 70 plays and 90 films, working with some of Mexico’s best directors. Acclaimed for her versatility, according to declaration by the Institute of Fine Arts and the National Theater Company.
At the prestigious Mexican Ariel Awards, Murguía won best supporting actress for her performances in “Cadena Perpetua,” in 1979; “Los Motivos de Luz”, in 1986; and “La Reina de la Noche” (Queen of the Night), in 1996. She has been nominated five times for best actress but she has never won. In 2011, she was awarded a Golden Ariel Special Lifetime Achievement Award.
In April 2023, she was awarded the Ingmar Bergman Medal by the National Autonomous University of Mexico for leaving an “indelible mark” on Mexican cinema and theater.
