Ernesto de la Cruz

Ernesto de la Cruz is the main antagonist from the Disney/Pixar film Coco. He is a famous singer and musician who dazzled audiences with his good looks and his charm, and was a source of Mexican pride due to his strong morals and his standing up for his fellow Mexicans. After his death, he resides as a soul in the Land of the Dead. Miguel's quest in the movie is to find Ernesto, whom he believes is his great-great-grandfather, in the Land of the Dead.

Background
In life, Ernesto was an up-and-coming musician from the town of Santa Cecilia who started his musical career as a guitarist with his close friend Héctor as his song writer. As the two were on tour across Mexico however, Héctor felt remorse about leaving his wife and daughter and intended to quit the career to go back to them. Ernesto tried to convince him to change his mind, and when his attempts failed, Ernesto seemingly accepted Héctor's decision and shared a toast with him. Unbeknownst, to Héctor, Ernesto had poisoned the drink; as the two walked down the street, Héctor succumbed to the poison and died. Seizing the opportunity, Ernesto took his song book and guitar. With Héctor's songs, Ernesto became a musical legend across the country and a star of renowned films. Winning crowds with his noble appearance, Ernesto was revered as a symbol of Mexico's passion and pride.

In 1942, Ernesto performed the song Remember Me at a concert among millions of his fans. As he finished the song on a high note, the backstage hand was distracted and accidentally released the rope holding the stage's bell up; Ernesto, being right under the bell at the moment, was crushed by it and killed. His body was laid to rest in a tomb back in Santa Cecilia, while his spirit was sent to the Land of the Dead. Ernesto's memory carried on in the public, thus he has retained his reputation in the Land of the Dead, regularly performing to the dead citizens and living out his days in his massive mansion.

Official Desription

 * Ernesto de la Cruz is Miguel's idol and the most famous musician in the history of Mexico. Revered by fans worldwide until his untimely death, the charming and charismatic musician is even more beloved in the Land of the Dead.

Personality
At first glance, Ernesto presents himself as a charming, wise, and sensible individual who encouraged others to follow their dreams no matter what, making him seem like a good role model.

However, it is later revealed that Ernesto was selfish and desperate in life, where his ambition drove him to murder his best friend Héctor, and stole his song book to achieve fame and glory. His afterlife as a spirit has not only maintained but strengthened his reputation that he will go to malicious lengths to keep it that way. Even Miguel, the boy who looked up to him as his idol, was a liability in his eyes to the extent that Ernesto would resort to murdering the child to hide his secret.

Role in the film
Ernesto de la Cruz first appears at his mansion in the Land of the Dead. During the Day of the Dead, he is hosting a party exclusive to Mexico's most famous celebrities. Miguel tries to get his attention by singing an improvised song. Suddenly, he falls into the pool. Ernesto dives into it to rescue him. Upon reaching the surface, Ernesto discovers he is the human boy he's been hearing about. Miguel declares himself as de la Cruz's great-grandson. Ernesto is elated and the two of them start bonding.

Settling down, Miguel explains afterwards that he needs Ernesto's blessing to return to the Land of the Living. Ernesto agrees but before he can give it, his former friend Héctor shows up. Héctor reveals to Miguel that he wrote the songs Ernesto was famous for and reminds Miguel of their deal. Héctor tells Ernesto to allow it and reminds them how he would move "heaven and earth" for him. Recognizing that exact phrase causes Miguel to pinpoint it to a de la Cruz film which shows Ernesto quoting while poisoning the film's villain. Looking at the film, Héctor realizes his partner caused his death by poisoning him and made him believe he died of a food poisoned churro. When Héctor tries to attack Ernesto, he is thrown into a cenote pit by Ernesto's guards while Ernesto confiscates Héctor's photograph to prevent him from being remembered. Ernesto also has Miguel thrown in a cenote after the latter did not get his blessing.

In the backstage of the Sunrise Spectacular concert, Miguel, Héctor, and the rest of the Riveras in the Land of the Dead confront him to get Hector's photo back. When they first confront Ernesto, Imelda slaps him with her shoe for murdering the love of her life. During that time, Imelda is accidently put on stage where she sings a duet with Ernesto. Imelda tries to get Hector's photograph which Ernesto took. She succeeds, but Ernesto catches up to them later and grabs Miguel. Though Miguel tries to reason with him, Ernesto unabashedly concedes to his crimes before dropping him from the the building. Not noticing that the Riveras had turned the live cameras onto him during his attempt to silence Miguel, Ernesto returns to the stage to sing and is booed by the crowd, his crimes exposed to the entire Land of the Dead. Ernesto then finds himself caught by Imelda's spirit guide Pepita who, after saving Miguel, throws him to a bell. While recovering, the bell falls towards Ernesto to his horror, and he is crushed by a bell for the second time.

When Miguel gets sent back to the Land of the Living, he exposes de la Cruz's crimes to his family, who in turn expose them to the world. By the next Day of the Dead, Ernesto's statue is publicly defaced, the only addition to Ernesto's shrine being a sign that reads "FORGET YOU" on it.

Trivia

 * The crosscut of Ernesto's tomb at the end of the film replaced by the "X" letter in the international versions.