Renowned actress Silvia Pinal, celebrated as the last diva of Mexican cinema and a star of television and theater, passed away on Thursday at the age of 93, the Mexican Culture Ministry announced.
Pinal, a muse of Spanish director Luis Buñuel, died in a Mexico City hospital where she had been admitted last week for treatment of a urinary tract infection. According to reports, family and friends were by her side at the time of her passing.
Over a career spanning more than six decades, Pinal starred in 84 films and 42 plays, becoming a cornerstone of Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema (1940-1960). She gained international acclaim for her role as a nun in Buñuel’s Viridiana (1961), which won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
She also appeared in two more of Buñuel’s acclaimed films, The Exterminating Angel (1962) and Simon of the Desert (1965), forming a celebrated trilogy that cemented her place in film history.
Pinal’s extensive contributions to Mexican culture were lauded by Culture Minister Claudia Curiel de Icaza, who described her as an unforgettable artist. Media giant Televisa-Univision, where Pinal worked extensively, hailed her as one of the most emblematic figures of Mexico’s cinematic golden era.
Pinal’s passing marks the end of an era for Mexican cinema, leaving behind a legacy of extraordinary performances and cultural impact.