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Elizabeth Peña
Born · September 23, 1959
Died · October 14, 2014 (55 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
Bio
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.
The Song of Sway Lake
Marlena
5.3
2019
Grandma
Carla
6.5
2015
Ana Maria in Novela Land
Sra. Soto
5.4
2015
Girl on the Edge
Esther
5.9
2015
Plush
Dr. Lopez
5.6
2013
Blaze You Out
Dona
2.7
2013
In the Dark
Dr. Weinette
5.0
2013
Charlie's Angels
Warden Gloria Galvez · (1 episode)
5.0
2011
The Perfect Family
Christina Rayes
4.8
2011
Down for Life
Mrs. Castro
4.3
2010
Mother and Child
Lawyer
6.6
2009
Modern Family
Pilar Ramírez · (2 episodes)
7.9
2009
Nothing Like the Holidays
Anna Rodriguez
6.3
2008
A Single Woman
Storyteller
7.0
2008
Racing for Time
Flores
5.8
2008
Love Comes Lately
Esperanza
5.2
2007
Dragon Wars: D-War
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4.6
2007
Goal II: Living the Dream
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2007
Adrift in Manhattan
Isabel Parades
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2007
Sueno
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4.6
2005
Ghost Whisperer
Marla · (1 episode)
8.1
2005
Keep Your Distance
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2005
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5.9
2005
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2005
American Dad!
Store Owner (voice) · (1 episode)
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2005
How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer
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5.4
2005
Numb3rs
Sonya Benavides · (1 episode)
7.0
2005
The Incredibles
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7.7
2004
Maya & Miguel
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2004
Suburban Madness
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2004
The Hollywood Mom's Mystery
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2004
Justice League Unlimited
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8.3
2004
Justice League: Starcrossed - The Movie
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8.0
2004
NCIS
Lina Reyes · (1 episode)
7.6
2003
Without a Trace
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7.3
2002
CSI: Miami
Mercedes Escalante · (1 episode)
7.7
2002
Ten Tiny Love Stories
4.2
2002
Zig Zag
Ms. Tate
5.9
2002
Impostor
Midwife (as Elizabeth Pena)
6.1
2001
Justice League
Paran Dul (voice) · (3 episodes)
8.1
2001
On the Borderline
Connie
5.0
2001
Things Behind the Sun
Carmen
6.1
2001
Tortilla Soup
Leticia Narnjo
6.2
2001
Boston Public
Superintendent Elizabeth Vasquez · (2 episodes)
7.7
2000
Resurrection Blvd.
Beatrice 'Bibi' Corrales · (53 episodes)
6.0
2000
Seven Girlfriends
Martha
4.6
2000
Border Line
Maria Rodriguez
4.0
1999
Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within
Rosario Ames
5.7
1998
Strangeland
Toni Gage
5.0
1998
Rush Hour
Johnson
7.0
1998
The Pass
Zeena
6.0
1998
The Second Civil War
Christina Fernandez
6.2
1997
Dellaventura
Simone · (1 episode)
0.0
1997
The Second Civil War
Christina · (1 episode)
6.0
1997
Contagious
Det. Luisa Rojas
4.7
1997
Two
Elizabeth Gaitan · (1 episode)
5.5
1996
Lone Star
Pilar
7.0
1996
It Came from Outer Space II
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3.1
1995
The Invaders
Ellen Garza
4.5
1995
The Invaders
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1995
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
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5.9
1995
Across the Moon
Carmen
3.9
1995
The Outer Limits
Dr. Jennifer Martinez · (1 episode)
7.8
1995
Roommates
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4.0
1994
Dead Funny
Viv Saunders
5.0
1994
The Waterdance
Rosa
6.1
1992
Fugitive Among Us
Flo Martin
4.2
1992
Building 'Jacob's Ladder'
Self
2.7
1990
Jacob's Ladder
Jezzie
7.4
1990
Dream On
Debra · (1 episode)
6.9
1990
Shannon's Deal
Lucy Acosta · (14 episodes)
8.0
1990
Blue Steel
Tracy Perez
5.8
1990
Drug Wars: The Camarena Story
Mika Camarena · (3 episodes)
6.1
1990
Shannon's Deal
Lucy Acosta
0.0
1989
Vibes
Consuelo
5.7
1988
*batteries not included
Marisa Esteval
6.6
1987
I Married Dora
(13 episodes)
5.0
1987
La Bamba
Rosie Morales
7.2
1987
L.A. Law
Jinx Baldasseri · (4 episodes)
7.1
1986
Tough Cookies
(8 episodes)
5.0
1986
Down and Out in Beverly Hills
Carmen
5.9
1986
Crossover Dreams
Liz Garcia
5.7
1985
Cagney & Lacey
(1 episode)
6.9
1982
T. J. Hooker
(1 episode)
6.3
1982
They All Laughed
Rita
5.9
1981
Hill Street Blues
(1 episode)
7.6
1981
Times Square
Disco Hostess
6.7
1980
El Super
Aurelita
7.2
1979