Elizabeth Peña
Acting
Born: September 23, 1959 · Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
Died: October 14, 2014 (aged 55)
Highest Rated
Biography
Elizabeth Maria Peña (September 23, 1959 – October 14, 2014) was an American actress, and the daughter of a theater-company co-founder, who has also compiled experience as a television director in her own right. Peña was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, daughter of Estella Margarita (née Toirac), an arts administrator and producer, and Mario Peña, the Cuban-born actor, writer, and director who jointly founded the Latin American Theatre Ensemble. It is unknown whether Peña was named after the town of her birth. Peña graduated from New York's High School of Performing Arts in 1977. Her classmates included Ving Rhames, alongside whom she would later co-star in Jacob's Ladder, and Esai Morales, alongside whom she would later co-star in La Bamba. She is also a founding member of the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors. In 1979, Peña appeared in her first film, El Super, "an exceptionally moving and melancholy comedy about a family of lower-middle-class Cuban refugees attempting to adjust to life in Spanish Harlem.", New York City. Peña worked once again with film director, Leon Ichaso in his next feature Crossover Dreams opposite Ruben Blades. Peña has appeared in movies such as La Bamba, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Lone Star, Vibes, and Rush Hour. In 2002, she starred in Showtime's Resurrection Blvd. as Tia Bibi Corrades in the episode "Justicia," which she also directed. During the next year, 2003, she appeared in and directed "It Was Fun While It Lasted," an episode of The Brothers Garcia. She also provided the voice of the character Mirage in Pixar's animated film The Incredibles. She guest starred in the 18th episode of Numb3rs, Season Two, as Sonya Benavides. Although the actress does speak Spanish, she does not dub her own voice for Spanish releases. Peña is also noted for having starred in I Married Dora, a sitcom that lasted only 13 episodes in 1987, as Dora Calderon, the "Dora" of the show's title. In the final show, the cast broke the "fourth wall" of suspended disbelief by announcing their cancellation on-camera and taking a curtain call. Writer-director John Sayles produced the critically acclaimed but short-lived television series Shannon's Deal (1989–1991) co-starring Peña alongside series lead Jamey Sheridan. In 1996 Sayles wrote and directed the mystery film Lone Star and again cast her in a co-starring role. Peña died on October 14, 2014 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California at the age of 55.
Known for
The Incredibles
2004
Rush Hour
1998
Modern Family
2009
NCIS
2003
American Dad!
2005
Jacob's Ladder
1990
Ghost Whisperer
2005
CSI: Miami
2002
Justice League Unlimited
2004
La Bamba
1987
*batteries not included
1987
Goal II: Living the Dream
2007
Photos (4)
Movies (61)
The Incredibles
Mirage (voice)
Rush Hour
Johnson
Jacob's Ladder
Jezzie
La Bamba
Rosie Morales
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
Kate Haley
Impostor
Midwife (as Elizabeth Pena)
*batteries not included
Marisa Esteval
Goal II: Living the Dream
Rosa Maria
Dragon Wars: D-War
Agent Linda Perez
Blue Steel
Tracy Perez
Grandma
Carla
Down and Out in Beverly Hills
Carmen
Transamerica
Margaret
Mother and Child
Lawyer
Lone Star
Pilar Cruz
Down in the Valley
Gale
The Second Civil War
Christina Fernandez
The Lost City
Miliciana (Zoraida) Muñoz
Justice League: Starcrossed - The Movie
Paran Dul (voice)
Nothing Like the Holidays
Anna Rodriguez
Gridlock'd
Admissions Person
Across the Moon
Carmen
The Song of Sway Lake
Marlena
They All Laughed
Rita
Sueno
Mirabela
Vibes
Consuelo
Tortilla Soup
Leticia Narnjo
Things Behind the Sun
Carmen
Plush
Dr. Lopez
The Waterdance
Rosa
Ten Tiny Love Stories
2002
Zig Zag
Ms. Tate
The Hollywood Mom's Mystery
Theresa Shoe
Border Line
Maria Rodriguez
The Pass
Zeena
It Came from Outer Space II
Ellen Fields
The Invaders
Ellen Garza
Times Square
Disco Hostess
Strangeland
Toni Gage
Ana Maria in Novela Land
Sra. Soto
Down for Life
Mrs. Castro
Girl on the Edge
Esther
Seven Girlfriends
Martha
The Perfect Family
Christina Rayes
A Single Woman
Storyteller
Contagious
Det. Luisa Rojas
Dead Funny
Viv Saunders
Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within
Rosario Ames
How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer
Lolita
Roommates
Lisa
Adrift in Manhattan
Isabel Parades
Racing for Time
Flores
Keep Your Distance
Holly
In the Dark
Dr. Weinette
Fugitive Among Us
Flo Martin
Suburban Madness
Clara Harris
Love Comes Lately
Esperanza
Blaze You Out
Dona
On the Borderline
Connie
Shannon's Deal
Lucy Acosta
El Super
Aurelita
TV Shows (25)
NCIS
Lina Reyes · 1 eps
American Dad!
Store Owner (voice) · 1 eps
CSI: Miami
Mercedes Escalante · 1 eps
Modern Family
Pilar Ramírez · 2 eps
Without a Trace
Rosie Diaz · 1 eps
The Outer Limits
Dr. Jennifer Martinez · 1 eps
L.A. Law
Jinx Baldasseri · 4 eps
Numb3rs
Sonya Benavides · 1 eps
Ghost Whisperer
Marla · 1 eps
Hill Street Blues
1 eps
T. J. Hooker
Maria · 1 eps
Boston Public
Superintendent Elizabeth Vasquez · 2 eps
Cagney & Lacey
1 eps
Justice League Unlimited
Paran-Dul (voice) · 1 eps
Justice League
Paran Dul (voice) · 3 eps
Dream On
Debra · 1 eps
Common Law
Travis' Foster Mother · 1 eps
Resurrection Blvd.
Beatrice 'Bibi' Corrales · 53 eps
Maya & Miguel
Rosa Santos (voice) · 70 eps
Shannon's Deal
Lucy Acosta · 14 eps
Charlie's Angels
Warden Gloria Galvez · 1 eps
Dellaventura
Simone · 1 eps
Two
Elizabeth Gaitan · 1 eps
Drug Wars: The Camarena Story
Mika Camarena · 3 eps
The Invaders
Ellen Garza · 2 eps
