Regina Torné, Actress in ‘Like Water for Chocolate’ and ‘El Chavo del 8,’ Dies at 82
Posted on 11/12/26 at 17:00
- Regina Torné died at age 82
- ANDA confirmed her death without disclosing a cause
- A fall reportedly affected her mobility
Regina Torné has died. The Mexican actress Regina Torné, remembered for playing Mamá Elena in the film Like Water for Chocolate and Gloria in El Chavo del 8, died on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at age 82.
The National Association of Actors (ANDA) confirmed her death in a message of condolence. However, no official cause of death has been announced so far.
According to Infobae, El Financiero and La Jornada, the actress had faced health problems in her final months, though there is no confirmation that they were related to her death.
Regina Torné Has Died… What Was the Cause of Death?
Regina Torné died on November 11, 2026, at age 82. The National Association of Actors confirmed her death but did not disclose the cause. (MEZCALENT)The cause of Regina Torné’s death remains unclear. ANDA confirmed the news but did not say whether the actress had an illness or suffered a medical complication.
La Jornada reported that, according to television news reports, Torné died at her home in Mexico City. However, no medical details about the circumstances of her death were released either.
For its part, Infobae noted that neither the actress’s family nor her representatives had provided official information about any prior condition.
The Fall That Affected Her Health Months Earlier
In January 2026, reports emerged about a fall Regina Torné reportedly suffered during a family visit in November 2025.
According to information picked up by Infobae and El Financiero, the actress reportedly remained hospitalized for several weeks, between November and December, because of the consequences of the accident.
After being discharged, she reportedly needed nursing care because she had difficulty walking and getting around normally.
However, this history was not publicly confirmed by her family or by ANDA. Nor is there any information that would establish a direct link between that fall and her death.
Regina Torné Won the Ariel Award for ‘Like Water for Chocolate’
A native of Villahermosa, Tabasco, Regina Torné was born Rosa Virgen del Pilar Martina Incháustegui Anaya and began her artistic career in 1962 as a jazz singer.
During the 1960s she made the leap to film, appearing in productions such as Despedida de soltera, Sólo de noche vienes and La señora Muerte.
Her international breakthrough came in 1992 with Like Water for Chocolate, directed by Alfonso Arau, in which she played Mamá Elena, an authoritarian mother who shaped the life of the story’s protagonist.
For that role she received the Ariel Award for Best Actress, one of the most important honors in Mexican cinema.
Her Time on ‘El Chavo del 8’ and in Telenovelas
In 1978 she appeared in El Chavo del 8 as Gloria, Paty’s aunt and one of the love interests of Don Ramón, a character played by Ramón Valdés.
She also appeared in telenovelas such as Clarisa, Retrato de familia, Amor en custodia, La loba, Cielo rojo and Siempre tuya Acapulco.
After stepping away from the screen, she settled in Puebla, where she opened an acting academy to share her knowledge with new generations of artists.
Her death closes a career of more than five decades in film, television and theater. As colleagues and arts organizations remember her legacy, the cause of her death remains without official confirmation.