Fans of Pixar are mourning the passing of “Mama Coco.”
Mara Salud Ramrez Caballero, who is said to have inspired the character of Mama Coco in Disney-Coco, Pixar’s died in Santa Fe de la Laguna, where she was born. Caballero’s death was announced on Twitter by Roberto Monroy, Secretary of Tourism for the Mexican state of Michoacan, on October 16, however, the cause of death has yet to be established.
“I greatly grieve the death of ‘Mamá Coco,’ a relentless woman and example of life,” Monroy wrote, “who was the inspiration for this famous character who traveled the world.”
Many Coco fans, like Monroy, are mourning her loss on Twitter.
“I’ve been sobbing all morning. BTS is enlisted in the army and won’t return until 2025. I just found out that MAMA COCO JUST DIED THIS MORNING. I’m going to watch coco tonight,” one person wrote, while another said, “woke up to find out the actual mama coco died,” accompanied by a slew of crying emojis.
The story of Miguel, a 12-year-old boy who strums his ancestor’s guitar and winds up in the mythical and colorful Land of the Dead, where he meets his deceased great-great-grandfather, is told in the 2017 animated film. Mama Coco, Miguel’s great-grandmother, is played by Ana Ofelia Murguia.
The film also included the voices of Gael Garca Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Edward James Olmos, Anthony Gonzalez, and Alanna Ubach, in addition to Murguia.
Although Disney has never publicly stated that Caballero was the inspiration for the film’s matriarch, they have stated that they spoke with various families in the area, including Caballero’s, throughout the filmmaking process.
Coco was based on Mexico’s Day of the Dead traditions, which was one of the main reasons people thought Mama Coco was based on Caballero, coupled with their physical resemblance.
“Mama Coco” was a ceramic potter in real life, and she is survived by her three children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
The film, which smashed records in Mexico as the No. 1 film of all time in local currency, also took home the best-animated feature and best original song for “Remember Me” by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez at the 2018 Oscars.