The National Association of Interpreters confirmed on November 24, 2025, the death of Gabriela Michel, a Mexican dubbing actress and mother of Aislinn Derbez, at age 65. While the official cause has not been disclosed, social media rumors point to an accident at home. Michel left a legacy in dubbing productions like Sex and the City and Disney films.
Gabriela Michel was born on October 24, 1960, in Mexico City and began her artistic training in the 1980s, entering the Bellas Artes acting school. She started her career in dubbing and voice-over, founding the Escuela de Actuación y Danza Derbez-Michel with Silvia Derbez, Eugenio Derbez's mother, in the Del Valle neighborhood. She worked as a scene director on the program En familia con Chabelo for 10 years, describing Xavier López as 'perfectionist' in an interview for TvyNovelas.
Personally, she met Eugenio Derbez at her acting school, where he taught her ballet. Their relationship, described as a 'great love' passionate but conflicted, lasted about seven years without formal marriage. They had Aislinn Derbez in March 1986, separating when the girl was one year old, in a 'chaotic and psychologically violent' process, as Aislinn recounted in the Se regalan dudas podcast. 'Mom hated dad and they screamed, said horrible things,' Aislinn shared about her childhood. After the breakup, they closed the school and maintained a cordial relationship: 'Eugenio and I are very good friends. We get along very well,' Michel stated.
Later, Michel joined Jorge Alberto Aguilera, a dubbing actor and Chabelo collaborator, with whom she had two daughters, Michelle and Chiara. Aguilera raised Aislinn until she was 18, stating: 'Aislinn and I love each other very much. She is a well-formed girl.' Regarding her daughters, Michel said: 'I always gave them freedom with responsibility. No one will care for you like you care for yourself'.
Michel excelled in dubbing with voices like Samantha Jones in Sex and the City, Queen Clarion in the Tinker Bell saga, Donna Hynde in Cuentos que no son cuento, Alma Hodge in Desperate Housewives, and Prudence in Cinderella 3. The ANDI expressed condolences in its statement: 'To her family and friends, we send our sincerest condolences.' So far, neither Aislinn nor Eugenio Derbez have issued public statements.
