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Elizabeth Peña
Actor

Elizabeth Peña

23 Sep 1959Born
14 Oct 2014Died
55Age at death
90Credits

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.

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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

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 90 credits.

  1. 2019The Song of Sway LakeFilm: Marlena
  2. 2015GrandmaFilm: Carla
  3. 2015Ana Maria in Novela LandFilm: Sra. Soto
  4. 2015Girl on the EdgeFilm: Esther
  5. 2013PlushFilm: Dr. Lopez
  6. 2013Blaze You OutFilm: Dona
  7. 2013In the DarkFilm: Dr. Weinette
  8. 2012Common LawSeries: Travis' Foster Mother (1 episode)
  9. 2011Charlie's AngelsSeries: Warden Gloria Galvez (1 episode)
  10. 2011The Perfect FamilyFilm: Christina Rayes
  11. 2010Down for LifeFilm: Mrs. Castro
  12. 2009Mother and ChildFilm: Lawyer
  13. 2009Modern FamilySeries: Pilar Ramírez (2 episodes)
  14. 2008Nothing Like the HolidaysFilm: Anna Rodriguez
  15. 2008A Single WomanFilm: Storyteller
  16. 2008Racing for TimeFilm: Flores
  17. 2007Love Comes LatelyFilm: Esperanza
  18. 2007Dragon Wars: D-WarFilm: Agent Linda Perez
  19. 2007Goal II: Living the DreamFilm: Rosa Maria
  20. 2007Adrift in ManhattanFilm: Isabel Parades
  21. 2005SuenoFilm: Mirabela
  22. 2005Ghost WhispererSeries: Marla (1 episode)
  23. 2005The Lost CityFilm: Miliciana (Zoraida) Muñoz
  24. 2005Keep Your DistanceFilm: Holly
  25. 2005Down in the ValleyFilm: Gale
  26. 2005TransamericaFilm: Margaret
  27. 2005American Dad!Series: Store Owner (voice) (1 episode)
  28. 2005How the Garcia Girls Spent Their SummerFilm: Lolita
  29. 2005Numb3rsSeries: Sonya Benavides (1 episode)
  30. 2004The IncrediblesFilm: Mirage (voice)
  31. 2004Maya & MiguelSeries: Rosa Santos (voice) (70 episodes)
  32. 2004Suburban MadnessFilm: Clara Harris
  33. 2004The Hollywood Mom's MysteryFilm: Theresa Shoe
  34. 2004Justice League UnlimitedSeries: Paran-Dul (voice) (1 episode)
  35. 2004Justice League: Starcrossed - The MovieFilm: Paran Dul (voice)
  36. 2003NCISSeries: Lina Reyes (1 episode)
  37. 2002Without a TraceSeries: Rosie Diaz (1 episode)
  38. 2002CSI: MiamiSeries: Mercedes Escalante (1 episode)
  39. 2002Ten Tiny Love StoriesFilm
  40. 2002Zig ZagFilm: Ms. Tate
  41. 2001ImpostorFilm: Midwife (as Elizabeth Pena)
  42. 2001Justice LeagueSeries: Paran Dul (voice) (3 episodes)
  43. 2001On the BorderlineFilm: Connie
  44. 2001Things Behind the SunFilm: Carmen
  45. 2001Tortilla SoupFilm: Leticia Narnjo
  46. 2000Boston PublicSeries: Superintendent Elizabeth Vasquez (2 episodes)
  47. 2000Resurrection Blvd.Series: Beatrice 'Bibi' Corrales (53 episodes)
  48. 2000Seven GirlfriendsFilm: Martha
  49. 1999Border LineFilm: Maria Rodriguez
  50. 1998Aldrich Ames: Traitor WithinFilm: Rosario Ames
  51. 1998StrangelandFilm: Toni Gage
  52. 1998Rush HourFilm: Johnson
  53. 1998The PassFilm: Zeena
  54. 1997The Second Civil WarFilm: Christina Fernandez
  55. 1997DellaventuraSeries: Simone (1 episode)
  56. 1997Gridlock'dFilm: Admissions Person
  57. 1997ContagiousFilm: Det. Luisa Rojas
  58. 1996TwoSeries: Elizabeth Gaitan (1 episode)
  59. 1996ReconFilm: Officer Santiago
  60. 1996Lone StarFilm: Pilar Cruz
  61. 1995It Came from Outer Space IIFilm: Ellen Fields
  62. 1995The InvadersFilm: Ellen Garza
  63. 1995The InvadersSeries: Ellen Garza (2 episodes)
  64. 1995Free Willy 2: The Adventure HomeFilm: Kate Haley
  65. 1995The Outer LimitsSeries: Dr. Jennifer Martinez (1 episode)
  66. 1994Across the MoonFilm: Carmen
  67. 1994RoommatesFilm: Lisa
  68. 1994Dead FunnyFilm: Viv Saunders
  69. 1992The WaterdanceFilm: Rosa
  70. 1992Fugitive Among UsFilm: Flo Martin
  71. 1990Jacob's LadderFilm: Jezzie
  72. 1990Dream OnSeries: Debra (1 episode)
  73. 1990Shannon's DealSeries: Lucy Acosta (14 episodes)
  74. 1990Blue SteelFilm: Tracy Perez
  75. 1990Drug Wars: The Camarena StorySeries: Mika Camarena (3 episodes)
  76. 1989Shannon's DealFilm: Lucy Acosta
  77. 1988VibesFilm: Consuelo
  78. 1987*batteries not includedFilm: Marisa Esteval
  79. 1987I Married DoraSeries: Dora Calderon (13 episodes)
  80. 1987La BambaFilm: Rosie Morales

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.