Renée Victor, 'Coco' and 'Weeds' star, dies at 86
Renee Victor, an actress known for her roles on the Showtime series "Weeds" and in the Pixar animated film "Coco," has died. She was 86.
A representative for Victor confirmed the actress' death to Paste BN on June 1. She had been battling lymphoma, a type of cancer, according to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.
Victor provided the voice of Abuelita in the acclaimed 2017 animated movie "Coco." The Pixar film, which grossed more than $800 million worldwide, won two Oscars, for best animated film and best original song for "Remember Me."
A sequel to "Coco" was announced in March, and Victor had indicated she planned to reprise her role.
"It was my great pleasure and experience working with the incredibly talented (directors) Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina!" she wrote on Instagram in March. "We get to do it again! This is what we've all been waiting for! I'm so excited!"
She added, "Coco shared a Mexican tradition that is now celebrated around the world in unity. An amazing amount of work and talent goes into the creation of this unique film."
Victor also played housekeeper Lupita on Showtime's "Weeds," which ran from 2005 to 2012. According to IMDb, she appeared in 22 episodes across the show's eight seasons.
Her other television work included appearances on "Dead to Me," "Snowpiercer," "Vida" and "ER," and on the film side, she also starred in "Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones" and "Confessions of a Shopaholic." Outside of acting, Victor was a singer and performed with her husband as the duo Ray and Renee.
In a statement shared on Instagram, Pixar paid tribute to Victor with a reference to "Remember Me," the Oscar-winning song from "Coco."
"We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Renée Victor, the voice Abuelita in 'Coco' and an incredible part of the Pixar family," the company said. "We will always remember you."