In Pixar’s Coco, the real Mexican painter shown painting a self-portrait in the Land of the Dead is Frida Kahlo.
Frida Kahlo appears among the film’s many recognizable cultural references. Her presence reflects Coco’s effort to build a visually rich afterlife populated not only by fictional characters but also by figures associated with Mexican history and culture.
Kahlo is particularly known for her self-portraits, which often explore identity, the body, pain, and symbolism. The film’s depiction echoes that artistic association in a humorous, fantastical setting.
This cameo is sometimes confused with Diego Rivera, another major Mexican artist and Kahlo’s husband. Rivera is not the answer to this question. Coco’s version of the Land of the Dead includes numerous visual jokes and historical allusions, but Kahlo’s distinctive presence makes her cameo one of the easiest to identify once noticed.