Ren茅e Victor, who voiced the no-nonsense, sandal-throwing Abuelita in and played the wisecracking Lupita on Showtime鈥檚 鈥淲eeds,鈥� has died. She was 86.
Victor鈥檚 death was confirmed on Monday by a representative, Julie Smith, who said the actor had lymphoma for several years. She died Friday at her home in Sherman Oaks, California, Smith said, with family by her side.
A post on the Instagram feed of Pixar, which produced 鈥淐oco,鈥� said: 鈥淲e are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Ren茅e Victor, the voice (of) Abuelita in 鈥楥oco鈥� and an incredible part of the Pixar family. We will always remember you.鈥�
Victor appeared in 22 episodes of 鈥淲eeds鈥� as sassy housekeeper Lupita between 2005 and 2012, among many other TV credits including 鈥淓R,鈥� 鈥淢atlock鈥� and 鈥淭he Addams Family.鈥� But she was perhaps best known for what she called the 2017 that explored death through the journey of a young Mexican boy to the land of the dead.
鈥淚 play the part of 鈥楢buelita,鈥� the chancla throwing grandma that preaches 鈥楴o Music!鈥欌�� she wrote on Instagram, looking back several years ago. 鈥淓njoy 鈥楥oco鈥� with your family this Dia de los Muertos and forever more!鈥�
She also looked back at 鈥淭he Apostle,鈥� the 1997 movie that Robert Duvall wrote, directed and starred in. 鈥淗e took a chance on me with this film,鈥� Victor wrote on Instagram. 鈥淭his is where I got my nickname 鈥榦ne take Ren茅e,鈥欌�� she said, adding laughter emojis. 鈥淚 had a small role but what a great one! Can somebody give me an amen?!鈥�
Born in San Antonio, Texas, on July 25, 1938, Victor began her performing career as a singer and dancer. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s, according to biography material provided by her representatives, where she launched her career singing with prominent big band leaders and P茅rez Prado. She also taught Latin dancing, including the salsa and tango.
She met her future husband, Ray, during that period, and from 1963 to 1973, they performed together as 鈥淩ay & Ren茅e,鈥� a variety show took them around the world 鈥� including Australia, where 鈥渢hey enjoyed particular fame,鈥� the materials said.
In the 1970s, Victor hosted the 鈥淧acesetters鈥� public affairs show on KTLA, her representatives said, and by the 鈥�80s had moved into TV and film work.
Her film credits, other than 鈥淭he Apostle,鈥� included the 2014 horror film 鈥淧aranormal Activity 5: The Marked Ones,鈥� 鈥淭he Doctor鈥� with William Hurt (1991), and 鈥淎 Night in Old Mexico鈥� (2013), also with Duvall. In 2004, she had a recurring role as Florina Lopez on TV's 鈥淓R,鈥� and the following year was cast in 鈥淲eeds.鈥� Other series credits included 鈥淪nowpiercer鈥� (2020-2021), 鈥淢ayans M.C.鈥� (2022), 鈥淒ead to Me鈥� (2020-2022), and Amazon鈥檚 鈥淲ith Love鈥� (2021-2023).
Victor is survived by her daughters, Raquel and Margo Victor, Smith said.
Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press
