Elizabeth Maria Peña (September 23, 1959 – October 14, 2014) was an American actress. Her film credits include Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), Batteries Not Included, La Bamba (both 1987), Jacob's Ladder (1990), Rush Hour (1998), and Nothing like the Holidays (2008). Peña won the 1996 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female and a Bravo Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film for her work in Lone Star (1996). She also voiced Rosa Santos in the animated television series Maya & Miguel (2004-2007) and Mirage in the animated film The Incredibles (2004).
Early life Peña was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on September 23, 1959, to Mario and Estella Margarita Peña. Mario Peña was a Cuban actor, playwright, director, and designer, and Estella Margarita Peña was a producer. The Peña family moved to Cuba when Elizabeth was less than a year old; she returned to the United States at the age of nine, after which time she and her family resided in New York City. Peña's parents founded the Theatre Ensemble. In 1977, Peña graduated from New York's High School of Performing Arts.
Career
In 1979, Peña made her film debut in Leon Ichaso's El Super, a "moving and melancholy comedy about a family of lower middle class Cuban refugees attempting to adjust to life in Spanish Harlem". She worked with Ichaso again in the director's next feature, Crossover Dreams.
Peña starred in I Married Dora, a sitcom (1987–1988), as the title character. She also starred in producer John Sayles's critically acclaimed but short-lived television series Shannon's Deal (1989–1991).
Peña appeared in films such as Nothing like the Holidays, La Bamba, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Jacob's Ladder, *batteries not included, Blue Steel, 1997's Gridlock'd as ER Admissions Person (under the name Elizabeth Anne Dickinson), Vibes, and Rush Hour.
In 1996, Sayles wrote and directed the mystery film Lone Star and again cast Peña in a co-starring role, for which she won the 1996 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Bravo Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film from the National Council of La Raza.
In 2002, Peña starred in Showtime's Resurrection Blvd. as Bibi Corrades in the episode "Justicia"; she directed an episode of the show. In 2003, she appeared in and directed "It Was Fun While It Lasted", an episode of The Brothers Garcia.
Peña was the fourth Latina to join the Directors' Guild of America.
Peña also voiced Mirage in Pixar's animated film The Incredibles. She guest-starred in the 18th episode of season 2 of Numb3rs as Sonya Benavides, and in season 4 of Modern Family as Pilar, the Colombian mother of Gloria Pritchett.
Peña co-founded the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors. She acted in 45 films.
Personal life and death Peña married television producer William Stephan Kibler in 1988. Their marriage ended in divorce. In 1994, Peña married Hans Rolla, with whom she had two children, Fiona and Kaelan.
Peña died on October 14, 2014, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 55. The cause of death listed on her death certificate was cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol, which caused acute gastrointestinal bleeding, cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest. Peña was cremated and buried at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, alongside the ashes of her mother, Estella Margarita Toirac.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1979 El Super Aurelita 1980 Times Square Disco Hostess 1981 They All Laughed Rita 1985 Crossover Dreams Liz Garcia 1986 Down and Out in Beverly Hills Carmen 1987 La Bamba Rosie Morales *batteries not included Marisa Esteval 1988 Vibes Consuelo 1990 Blue Steel Tracy Perez Jacob's Ladder Jezebel "Jezzie" Pipkin 1992 The Waterdance Rosa 1994 Dead Funny Vivian "Viv" Saunders 1995 Across the Moon Carmen Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home Kate Haley 1996 Lone Star Pilar Cruz 1997 Gridlock'd Admissions Person 1998 Rush Hour Detective Tania Johnson Strangeland Toni Gage 1999 Seven Girlfriends Martha 2001 Things Behind the Sun Carmen Tortilla Soup Leticia Naranjo Impostor Midwife 2002 Zig Zag Ms. Tate2004 The Incredibles Mirage (voice) A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 2005 How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer Lolita Transamerica Margaret Down in the Valley Gale Sueño Mirabela The Lost City Miliciana Muñoz 2007 Adrift in Manhattan Isabel Parades Goal II: Living the Dream Rosa Maria D-War FBI Agent Linda Perez Love Comes Lately Esperanza 2008 A Single Woman Storyteller Nothing like the Holidays Anna Rodriguez 2009 Mother and Child Amanda Down for Life Mrs. Castro 2011 The Perfect Family Christina Reyes 2013 Plush Dr. Lopez 2015 Grandma Carla Posthumous release Girl on the Edge Esther Ana Maria in Novela Land Senora Soto 2018 The Song of Sway Lake Marlena Final film role; Posthumous release
Television Year Title Role Notes 1985 Cagney & Lacey Adelita Carrena Episode: "Ordinary Hero" 1985 T. J. Hooker Maria Episode: "Rip-Off" 1986 Hill Street Blues Alice Episode: "Come and Get It" 1986 Tough Cookies Connie Rivera Main role, 6 episodes 1987–1988 I Married Dora Dora Calderon Main role, 13 episodes 1989 Shannon's Deal Lucy Acosta Television film 1990 Drug Wars: The Camarena Story Mika Camarena Miniseries, 3 episodes 1990–1991 Shannon's Deal Lucy Acosta Main role, 11 episodes 1993 Dream On Debra Episode: "Super Freak" 1993–1994 L.A. Law Jinx Baldasseri 4 episodes 1994 Roommates Lisa Television film 1995 The Outer Limits Dr. Jennifer Martinez Episode: "Living Hell" 1995 The Invaders Ellen Garza Miniseries, 2 episodes 1997 The Second Civil War Christina Television film 1997 Dead Man's Gun Gisella Episode: "Fortune Teller" 2000–2001 Resurrection Blvd. Beatriz "Bibi" Corrales 21 episodes 2002–2003 Boston Public Superintendent Elizabeth Vasquez 2 episodes 2003 CSI: Miami Mercedes Escalante Episode: "Simple Man" 2003 The Brothers García Director, 1 episode 2004 Suburban Madness Clara Harris Television film 2004 NCIS FBI Agent Lina Reyes Episode: "Terminal Leave" 2004 Justice League Paran Dul (voice) Episode: "Starcrossed" 2005 Without a Trace Rosie Diaz Episode: "Neither Rain Nor Sleet"2005–2009Maya & MiguelRosa Santos (voice)Main cast 2005 Numb3rs Sonya Benavides Episode: "Assassin" 2005 Justice League Unlimited Paran Dul (voice) Episode: "Hunter's Moon" 2006 Minoriteam Maria, Gold Digger (voice) Episode: "Landon in Love" 2007 American Dad! Store Owner (voice) Episode: "American Dream Factory" 2008 Racing for Time Flores Television film 2009 Ghost Whisperer Marla Episode: "This Joint's Haunted" 2011 Off the Map Inez 4 episodes2012 Prime Suspect Gloria Lopez Episode: "Ain't No Sunshine" 2013 Major Crimes Rosa Vega Episode: "Under the Influence" 2013 Modern Family Pilar Ramirez 2 episodes 2014 Matador Maritza Sandoval Recurring role, 7 episodes
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2004 The Incredibles Mirage Voice 2013 Disney Infinity
See also
List of Cuban Americans
References
External links