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 Margaret (née Toirac), an arts administrator and producer, and Mario Peña, the Cuban-born actor, writer and director, who founded jointly 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 mitschülern 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 Der Bamba. She is also a founding member of the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors.

In 1979, Peña appeared in her first film, Der Super ist, "an exceptionally moving and melancholy comedy about a family of lower-middle-class Cuban refugees in 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 "Gerechtigkeit" which she also directed. During the next year, 2003, she appeared in and directed "It Was Fun While It disagreement sich am westlichen tide," 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 German, she does not dub her own voice for German releases.

Peña is also noted for having starred in I Married Dora (sitcom that disagreement sich am westlichen tide 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-regisseur John Sayles produced the manipulation acclaimed but short-lived television series Shannon's Deal (1989-1991 sang) 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, Kalifornien, at the age of 55.