Angelina Chavez Torres' tribute in 'Christmas with You' explained
In the 2022 Netflix film, Christmas with You, Angelina Chavez Torres' tribute appears as a dedication card at the beginning of the end credits. It features her photo and the words "In memory of Angelina Chavez Torres". Was she a member of the cast and crew or close to someone on the production team?
Source: UGC
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Key takeaways
- The late Angelina Chavez Torres was the mother of producer and screenwriter German Michael Torres, who is credited with the original story of the film.
- Various sources report that Angelina's absence during the first Christmas after her passing inspired her son to create the film.
- The film's protagonist (also named Angelina) deals with the loss of her mom, reflecting German's real-life grief.
- Angelina Chavez Torres' final resting place is the Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park and Mortuary, located in North Hollywood.
Who was Angelina Chavez Torres?
German Michael Torres' mother, Angelina, passed away on 24 July 2020. According to Netflix Life, he confirmed her demise via an Instagram post that in part read:
My beautiful mom is now an angel with my pops. I am so heartbroken. Thank you for being the world's best mom and loving me as you did. I will always love you.
Judging from the timing of Chavez's passing and when Christmas with You was put together, it is safe to assume that the loss inspired her son to create the film, which focuses on themes of grief and holiday healing.
Source: Getty Images
Angelina Chavez Torres passed away aged 81
According to Angelina's obituary on Dignity Memorial's website, she was born on 2 October 1938 in Hayden, Arizona.
Her parents, the late Soledad Romo Chavez and Octaviano Duran Chavez, raised her alongside her eight brothers and two sisters. Chavez shared six children with her late husband of 50 years, German Torres. They are daughters: AnnaMarie Ybarra, Sylvia Brill, Yolanda Torres, Elishevahn-Elsa Torres and Angelina Cannon.
The couple only had one son, German Torres Jr., who is described as "the apple of his mother's eye". Additionally, Angelina had eight grandchildren: Brian Jr., Tony, Danielle, Hannah, Angie, Joshua, Isabella and Christian. She also has several great-grandchildren, including: Tegan, Ryder, Elias, Derrick, T.J., Rex and Jose.
Exploring Angelina Chavez Torres' life and legacy
In the obituary, Angelina is described as a "devout Catholic who raised her children with her faith in God". She is also acknowledged as "everyone's mother".
Angelina treated everyone with care and motherly love. Love was her superpower as she always made everyone feel special and wanted. She greeted people with a big smile, a true essence of love! Chavez was truly about family.
It is also noted that Angelina had a "funny and feisty side to her". She always made people laugh with respectful sarcasm and light banter.
Our angel on Earth is now one in Heaven. While Angelina will be greatly missed, her cherished memories will live on forever through her family and friends.
Source: Getty Images
Insights into Christmas with You: All about the romantic comedy film
Christmas with You has been adapted from a screenplay penned by Michael Varrati, Jennifer C. Stetson and Paco Farias, based on a fictional tale by German Michael Torres and Lucas Jarach. It tells the story of Latina pop singer-songwriter Angelina Costa, who has been performing since her teenage years.
To escape the pressures of remaining relevant in the social media era, she travels to a small town in New York to meet Cristina Torres, one of her young fans, who, just like her, lost her mother. While there, Costa meets Torres' dad, music teacher Miguel, and they work on completing his song.
In the process, Angelina and Miguel develop feelings for each other, but her demanding career keeps her preoccupied. However, in the end, she declines an SNL gig to attend Cristina's quinceañera. The trio decides to spend Christmas together with the lovebirds, sealing it with a smooch.
Who are the cast members of Christmas with You?
The film features an ensemble of talented actors and actresses. Here is everything you need to uncover about them:
Aimee Garcia as Angelina
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 28 November 1978
- Age: 47 years old (As of January 2026)
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Social media: Instagram
Aimee began participating in theatre when she was 7. She made her professional acting debut portraying Jodi in the 1996 film The Homecoming. According to her IMDb profile, Garcia has 89 acting credits, including Dexter, Lucifer and Supernatural.
Freddie Prinze Jr. as Miguel
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 8 March 1976
- Age: 49 years old (As of January 2026)
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
- Social media: Instagram
Freddie has been in the film industry for about three decades. Some of the movies and TV shows he has starred in include I Know What You Did Last Summer, Down to You, Boys and Girls, She's All That and Star Wars Rebels.
Gabriel Sloyer as Ricardo
Source: Getty Images
- Birthplace: Long Island, New York, USA
- Occupation: Actor
- Years active: 2010-present
- Social media: Instagram
In Christmas with You, Gabriel portrays Angelina's ex-boyfriend. The actor is widely recognised for his roles on Griselda, Inventing Anna, Narcos, Power and Orange Is the New Black.
Other cast members include:
- Grace Dumdaw as Madison Sparks
- Deja Monique Cruz as Cristina
- Zenzi Williams as Monique
- Lawrence J. Hughes as Barry
Christmas with You reception
The film has a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 15 reviews. Screen Rant's Brittany Witherspoon gave the movie a 3/5 rating, writing:
The film strikes a good balance between cheesy and serious elements. It is reliably sweet and sincere in all the right places.
Conclusion
Christmas with You producer, German Michael Torres, pays tribute to his late mother, Angelina Chavez Torres, as the film ends. The movie was released on Netflix in November 2022, about two years after her passing.
READ MORE: Remembering Isabelle "Izzy" Tate: What happened to the 9-1-1: Nashville star at 23?
Briefly.co.za published an article about aspiring actress Isabelle Tate. On 21 October 2025, her talent manager, Kim McCray, announced her sudden passing due to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
Izzy had appeared in one episode of 9-1-1: Nashville, which aired a few days before her passing. She is remembered as a "musically inclined" individual who spent hours writing and recording songs.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
