Elizabeth Peña
Elizabeth Peña (September 23, 1961 - 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.
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 Song of Sway Lake
Grandma
Ana Maria in Novela Land
Girl on the Edge
Plush
Blaze You Out
In the Dark
Charlie's Angels
The Perfect Family
Down for Life
Mother and Child
Modern Family
Nothing Like the Holidays
A Single Woman
Racing for Time
Love Comes Lately
Dragon Wars: D-War
Goal! II: Living the Dream
Adrift in Manhattan
Sueno
Ghost Whisperer
Keep Your Distance
Down in the Valley
Transamerica
American Dad!
Numb3rs
The Incredibles
Maya & Miguel
Suburban Madness
The Hollywood Mom's Mystery
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League: Starcrossed - The Movie
NCIS
Without a Trace
CSI: Miami
Ten Tiny Love Stories
Zig Zag
Impostor
Justice League
On the Borderline
Things Behind the Sun
Tortilla Soup
Boston Public
Resurrection Blvd.
Seven Girlfriends
Border Line
Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within
Strangeland
Rush Hour
Highway Hitcher
The Second Civil War
Contagious
Two
Lone Star
It Came from Outer Space II
The Invaders
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
Across the Moon
The Outer Limits
Roommates
Dead Funny
The Waterdance
Fugitive Among Us
Building 'Jacob's Ladder'
Jacob's Ladder
Dream On
Shannon's Deal
Blue Steel
Drug Wars: The Camarena Story
Shannon's Deal
Vibes
*batteries not included
La Bamba
L.A. Law
Down and Out in Beverly Hills
Cagney & Lacey
T. J. Hooker
They All Laughed
Hill Street Blues
Times Square
El Super