Image of Elizabeth Peña

Elizabeth Peña

Elizabeth Peña (born September 23, 1961 - died 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.


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Born:
Sep 23, 1961 In Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
78
First Appeared:
In the movie El Super 1979-04-28
Latest Project:
Movie The Song of Sway Lake 2019-06-07
Known For
Poster of Ana Maria in Novela Land
Poster of NCIS
Poster of Seven Girlfriends
Poster of El Super
Filmography
Movie The Song of Sway Lake Marlena 2019-06-07
Movie Ana Maria in Novela Land Sra. Soto 2015-02-27
Movie Girl on the Edge Esther 2015-02-23
Movie Grandma Carla 2015-06-04
Movie In the Dark Dr. Weinette 2013-01-12
Movie Blaze You Out Dona 2013-07-30
Movie Plush Dr. Lopez 2013-09-13
Movie The Perfect Family Christina Rayes 2011-04-30
Series Charlie's Angels Unknown 2011-09-22
Movie Down for Life Mrs. Castro 2010-10-01
Movie Mother and Child Lawyer 2009-11-07
Movie Racing for Time Flores 2008-02-16
Movie Nothing Like the Holidays Anna Rodriguez 2008-12-12
Movie A Single Woman Storyteller 2008-09-21
Movie Goal II: Living the Dream Rosa Maria 2007-02-09
Movie Adrift in Manhattan Isabel Parades 2007-01-10
Movie Love Comes Lately Esperanza 2007-09-09
Movie Dragon Wars: D-War Agent Linda Perez 2007-08-01
Series American Dad! Unknown 2005-02-06
Series Numb3rs Unknown 2005-01-23
Movie Transamerica Margaret 2005-02-14
Movie How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer Lolita 2005-01-23
Movie Sueno Mirabela 2005-09-30
Movie Down in the Valley Gale 2005-05-13
Series Ghost Whisperer Unknown 2005-09-23
Movie Keep Your Distance Holly 2005-09-02
Movie Justice League: Starcrossed - The Movie Paran Dul (voice) 2004-07-13
Movie Suburban Madness Clara Harris 2004-10-04
Movie The Incredibles Mirage (voice) 2004-10-27
Series Maya & Miguel Rosa Santos (voice) 2004-10-11
Series NCIS Unknown 2003-09-23
Movie Zig Zag Ms. Tate 2002-06-14
Movie Ten Tiny Love Stories 2002-08-10
Series Without a Trace Unknown 2002-09-26
Series CSI: Miami Unknown 2002-09-23
Movie Things Behind the Sun Carmen 2001-10-12
Movie Tortilla Soup Leticia Narnjo 2001-08-24
Movie On the Borderline Connie 2001-10-23
Movie Impostor Midwife (as Elizabeth Pena) 2001-12-03
Movie Seven Girlfriends Martha 2000-04-21
Series Boston Public Unknown 2000-10-23
Series Resurrection Blvd. Beatrice 'Bibi' Corrales 2000-06-26
Movie Border Line Maria Rodriguez 1999-02-22
Movie The Pass Zeena 1998-05-07
Movie Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within Rosario Ames 1998-11-29
Movie Rush Hour Johnson 1998-09-18
Movie Strangeland Toni Gage 1998-10-02
Movie Contagious Det. Luisa Rojas 1997-01-22
Movie The Second Civil War Christina Fernandez 1997-12-04
Movie Lone Star Pilar 1996-06-21
Series The Outer Limits Unknown 1995-03-26
Movie Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home Kate Haley 1995-07-19
Movie Across the Moon Carmen 1995-03-28
Movie The Invaders Ellen Garza 1995-11-12
Movie It Came from Outer Space II Ellen Fields 1995-12-31
Movie Dead Funny Viv Saunders 1994-05-21
Movie Roommates Lisa 1994-05-30
Movie Fugitive Among Us Flo Martin 1992-02-04
Movie The Waterdance Rosa 1992-05-13
Movie Building 'Jacob's Ladder' Self 1990-12-01
Movie Blue Steel Tracy Perez 1990-03-16
Series Drug Wars: The Camarena Story Mika Camarena 1990-01-07
Series Shannon's Deal Lucy Acosta 1990-04-16
Movie Jacob's Ladder Jezzie 1990-11-02
Movie Vibes Consuelo 1988-08-05
Movie La Bamba Rosie Morales 1987-07-24
Movie *batteries not included Marisa Esteval 1987-12-18
Series I Married Dora 1987-09-22
Movie Down and Out in Beverly Hills Carmen 1986-01-31
Series L.A. Law Unknown 1986-09-15
Series Tough Cookies 1986-03-05
Movie Crossover Dreams Liz Garcia 1985-08-23
Series T. J. Hooker Unknown 1982-03-13
Series Cagney & Lacey Unknown 1982-03-25
Series Hill Street Blues Unknown 1981-01-15
Movie They All Laughed Rita 1981-11-20
Movie Times Square Disco Hostess 1980-10-17
Movie El Super Aurelita 1979-04-28