Renee Victor Dies: ‘Coco’ & ‘Weeds’ Actor Was 86

In the 1970s, she hosted Pacesetters, a KTLA series that reported on the Chicano Movement, and she segued into acting.

Victor appeared in nearly two dozen episodes of Weeds, playing housekeeper Lupita. “Playing Lupita on the Showtime series Weeds will always be a favorite role,” Victor wrote on Instagram in 2021. “She was sassy, and she found Nancy’s [Mary-Louise Parker] stash of weed!”

And in Coco, Victor voiced the titular character’s daughter — who grows up to be a grandmother determined to ban music in her household — and won a People’s Choice category at the 2018 Behind the Voice Actors Awards alongside two other nominations.

And Victor shared her excitement this March as Disney announced Coco 2, set for release in 2029. “We get to do it again! This is what we’ve all been waiting for! I’m so excited!” she wrote on Instagram. “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’s other credits include the films The Doctor, The Apostle, and A Night in Old Mexico; the TV shows ER, Vida, Snowpiercer, Dead to Me, and A Million Little Things; and the Elder Scrolls video game series.

Pixar paid tribute to Victor in an Instagram post on Saturday, May 31. “We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Renee Victor, the voice Abuelita in Coco and an incredible part of the Pixar family,” the animation company wrote. “We will always remember you.”

Gloria Calderón Kellett, who cast Victor as her onscreen mother in the TV series With Love, said on Instagram that Victor “radiated talent, humor, and grace” when they met during production of the 2003 TV project The Ortegas.

“Years later, she would become my TV mom, Marta, on With Love — a role named after my paternal grandmother,” Calderón Kellett wrote. “It felt like destiny. She brought that character to life with such warmth, sharp wit, and elegance. And let’s be honest — she had the best legs in the biz!”

Calderón Kellett continued: “Renee was a true pro. A scene-stealer. A joy. A blessing. Her artistry made everything better, and her presence made every set brighter. Thank you, Renee, for the laughs, the lessons, and the love. You will be missed deeply and remembered always.”