- - ‘Riverdale’ Star Camila Mendes Mourns Deep Personal Loss

Devon ForwardNovember 30, 2025 at 7:30 PM

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Camila Mendes, most well-known for playing Veronica Lodge in the teen drama series Riverdale, revealed in a sad update on Nov. 30 that her grandmother died.

The actress shared an emotional tribute to her, starting with a throwback photo of what appeared to be her grandmother holding Mendes' mother after she was born, with Mendes beginning the caption by writing, "rest in peace, vovó lea 🕊️."

She went on, calling her late grandmother "the wisest, strongest matriarch. the most graceful, dignified, self-respecting woman i’ve ever known."

"i’m gonna miss staying up late, tomando café com leite, listening to your advice on love and partnership. i’m gonna miss eating your famous pão de mel. hearing that sweet, high-pitched giggle of yours that brought me so much joy," concluded Mendes' touching message.

The 31-year-old included other photos of her grandmother in the post, including one of Mendes posing between her mother and grandmother, and snaps with other members of the family.

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Fans sent Mendes love and condolences after learning of her loss, with comments on the tribute like, "I’m so sorry for your loss. sending lots of love to you and your family," and "I'm sorry for your loss, Cami, hope your heart find comfort in your family's love and care."

"My deepest sympathies and strength to Cami; grandparents should be eternal," read another kind reply, while someone else wrote, "Rest in peace Mama Lea. 🌻🙏🏼❤️ You are a continuation of her."

Related: Riverdale Star KJ Apa’s Strange New TikTok Persona Leaves Fans "Scared"

Mendes’ Loss Comes Only Weeks After Her Engagement

The death of Mendes' grandmother occurred only weeks after the actress and her longtime partner, Rudy Mancuso, got engaged at the end of October. The Upgraded star announced the big news to fans on social media, sharing a few photos of Mancuso surprising her with the proposal.

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Mendes was reportedly told that she was going to a friend's surprise birthday party, but instead, it was a surprise engagement party for her. Most of her old Riverdale co-stars were there to celebrate with the couple, including Lili Reinhart, KJ Apa, and Madelaine Petsch, with Petsch sharing a photo of the cast on her Instagram Stories, via People.

Mendes and Mancuso first got together while filming their movie, Música, in 2022, before officially confirming their romance in the fall of that year. They have been going strong ever since, and soon enough, they'll be tying the knot.

As of writing, neither Mendes nor Mancuso has shared details about the upcoming wedding.

Related: Riverdale and Archie Returning to TV in Wild ‘Nightmare-Fueled’ Project

This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”