Ivonne Coll
A former Miss Puerto Rico who built a enduring acting career, most beloved as the fiercely loving grandmother on 'Jane the Virgin.'
Born 1947 (age 79)·Puerto Rican actress·Birthday: November 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ivonne Coll's path to acting was anything but conventional. Crowned Miss Puerto Rico in 1967, she used the platform not as an end but as a beginning, moving to New York to study her craft. She broke through with a poignant role as a young mother in 'The Godfather Part II,' a performance that set the tone for a career defined by grounded, resilient characters. For decades, she worked steadily in film and television, often portraying matriarchs and authority figures with warmth and strength. Her role as Alba Villanueva, the telenovela-loving, sage-dispensing grandmother on 'Jane the Virgin,' introduced her to a new generation, transforming her into a symbol of unwavering familial love and cultural pride.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ivonne was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ivonne Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Ivonne's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Alba Villanueva, the beloved grandmother, for five seasons on the hit series 'Jane the Virgin.'
- Appeared as a key cast member in the critically acclaimed film 'The Godfather Part II.'
- Had a recurring role as the strict Vice Principal on the television series 'Switched at Birth.'
- Crowned Miss Puerto Rico in 1967 and represented the territory in the Miss Universe pageant.
Did You Know?
She is a trained dancer and studied under the renowned choreographer Martha Graham.
Before acting full-time, she worked as a bilingual special education teacher in New York City.
Coll is an advocate for the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts.
She played a nun in both 'The Godfather Part II' and an episode of 'Glee.'
“I was a queen for a day, but I chose to be an actress for a lifetime.”
