profile

    Elizabeth Peña

    1959-09-23 (65 years old) in Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA

    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.

    Movies

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    The Song of Sway Lake
    53 %|Jun 7, 2019
    Drama
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    Grandma
    65 %|Jun 4, 2015
    Comedy, Drama
    poster
    Ana Maria in Novela Land
    55 %|Feb 27, 2015
    Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Drama
    poster
    Girl on the Edge
    60 %|Feb 23, 2015
    Drama
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    Plush
    56 %|Sep 13, 2013
    Thriller
    poster
    Blaze You Out
    27 %|Jul 30, 2013
    Action, Drama, Thriller
    poster
    In the Dark
    50 %|Jan 12, 2013
    Drama, Thriller
    poster
    The Perfect Family
    48 %|Apr 30, 2011
    Comedy, Drama
    poster
    Down for Life
    43 %|Oct 1, 2010
    Drama, Crime
    poster
    Mother and Child
    65.94 %|Nov 7, 2009
    Drama, Romance
    poster
    Nothing Like the Holidays
    63.31 %|Dec 12, 2008
    Comedy, Drama, Romance
    poster
    A Single Woman
    70 %|Sep 21, 2008
    poster
    Racing for Time
    58 %|Feb 16, 2008
    Drama, TV Movie
    poster
    Love Comes Lately
    52 %|Sep 9, 2007
    Drama, Comedy, Romance
    poster
    Dragon Wars: D-War
    46 %|Aug 1, 2007
    Fantasy, Drama, Horror, Action, Thriller, Science Fiction
    poster
    Goal II: Living the Dream
    60 %|Feb 9, 2007
    Drama
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    Adrift in Manhattan
    58 %|Jan 10, 2007
    Drama
    poster
    Sueno
    46 %|Sep 30, 2005
    Drama, Comedy, Romance
    poster
    Keep Your Distance
    44 %|Sep 2, 2005
    Drama, Mystery, Romance
    poster
    Down in the Valley
    59 %|May 13, 2005
    Drama, Romance, Thriller, Western
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    Transamerica
    70 %|Feb 14, 2005
    Drama, Adventure, Comedy
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    How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer
    54 %|Jan 23, 2005
    Comedy, Drama, Romance
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    The Incredibles
    77.1 %|Oct 27, 2004
    Action, Adventure, Animation, Family
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    Suburban Madness
    50 %|Oct 4, 2004
    Drama, TV Movie
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    The Hollywood Mom's Mystery
    75 %|Aug 8, 2004
    Comedy, Thriller, TV Movie
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    Justice League: Starcrossed - The Movie
    80 %|Jul 13, 2004
    Animation
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    Ten Tiny Love Stories
    42 %|Aug 10, 2002
    Drama, Romance
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    Zig Zag
    59 %|Jun 14, 2002
    Drama
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    Impostor
    61 %|Dec 3, 2001
    Action, Science Fiction, Thriller
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    On the Borderline
    50 %|Oct 23, 2001
    Action
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    Things Behind the Sun
    61 %|Oct 12, 2001
    Drama, Music
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    Tortilla Soup
    61.870000000000005 %|Aug 24, 2001
    Comedy, Drama, Romance
    poster
    Seven Girlfriends
    46 %|Apr 21, 2000
    Comedy, Romance
    poster
    Border Line
    40 %|Feb 22, 1999
    Drama
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    Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within
    57 %|Nov 29, 1998
    Drama, Thriller
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    Strangeland
    50 %|Oct 2, 1998
    Horror
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    Rush Hour
    70.52 %|Sep 18, 1998
    Action, Comedy, Crime
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    The Pass
    60 %|May 7, 1998
    Thriller
    poster
    The Second Civil War
    62 %|Dec 4, 1997
    Drama, Comedy, TV Movie, War
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    Contagious
    47 %|Jan 22, 1997
    Thriller, Drama, TV Movie
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    Lone Star
    70 %|Jun 21, 1996
    Drama, Mystery, Romance
    poster
    It Came from Outer Space II
    33 %|Dec 31, 1995
    TV Movie, Science Fiction
    poster
    The Invaders
    45 %|Nov 12, 1995
    TV Movie, Science Fiction, Thriller
    poster
    Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
    59 %|Jul 19, 1995
    Family, Adventure, Drama, Comedy
    poster
    Across the Moon
    39 %|Mar 28, 1995
    Romance, Comedy, Drama
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    Roommates
    40 %|May 30, 1994
    Drama, TV Movie
    poster
    Dead Funny
    50 %|May 21, 1994
    Drama
    poster
    The Waterdance
    61 %|May 13, 1992
    Drama
    poster
    Fugitive Among Us
    42 %|Feb 4, 1992
    Thriller, TV Movie, Crime, Drama
    poster
    Building 'Jacob's Ladder'
    27 %|Dec 1, 1990
    Documentary
    poster
    Jacob's Ladder
    73.53 %|Nov 2, 1990
    Drama, Mystery, Horror
    poster
    Blue Steel
    58 %|Mar 16, 1990
    Thriller
    poster
    Shannon's Deal
    0 %|Jun 4, 1989
    Crime, Drama, TV Movie
    poster
    Vibes
    57 %|Aug 5, 1988
    Romance, Action, Comedy
    poster
    *batteries not included
    66.41 %|Dec 18, 1987
    Family, Comedy, Fantasy, Science Fiction
    poster
    La Bamba
    72.39 %|Jul 24, 1987
    Drama, Music
    poster
    Down and Out in Beverly Hills
    59 %|Jan 31, 1986
    Comedy
    actor
    Crossover Dreams
    57 %|Aug 23, 1985
    Music, Comedy, Drama
    poster
    They All Laughed
    58 %|Nov 20, 1981
    Comedy, Romance
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    Times Square
    67 %|Oct 17, 1980
    Drama, Music
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    El Super
    72 %|Apr 28, 1979
    Comedy

    Series

    poster
    Charlie's Angels
    51 %|Sep 22, 2011
    Action & Adventure, Crime, Drama
    poster
    Modern Family
    79 %|Sep 23, 2009
    Comedy
    poster
    Ghost Whisperer
    80.83 %|Sep 23, 2005
    Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Mystery, Drama
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    American Dad!
    69.53 %|Feb 6, 2005
    Animation, Comedy
    poster
    Numb3rs
    70.44 %|Jan 23, 2005
    Crime, Drama, Mystery
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    Maya & Miguel
    70 %|Oct 11, 2004
    Animation, Kids
    poster
    Justice League Unlimited
    82.66 %|Jul 31, 2004
    Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Kids
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    NCIS
    76.19 %|Sep 23, 2003
    Crime, Drama, Action & Adventure
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    Without a Trace
    72.94 %|Sep 26, 2002
    Crime, Mystery, Action & Adventure, Drama
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    CSI: Miami
    77.27000000000001 %|Sep 23, 2002
    Drama, Mystery, Crime
    poster
    Justice League
    81 %|Nov 17, 2001
    Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
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    Boston Public
    76.7 %|Oct 23, 2000
    Drama
    poster
    Resurrection Blvd.
    60 %|Jun 26, 2000
    Drama
    poster
    Dellaventura
    0 %|Sep 23, 1997
    Crime, Drama
    poster
    The Second Civil War
    60 %|Mar 15, 1997
    poster
    Two
    55 %|Sep 12, 1996
    Drama
    poster
    The Invaders
    55 %|Nov 12, 1995
    Sci-Fi & Fantasy
    poster
    The Outer Limits
    77 %|Mar 26, 1995
    Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
    poster
    Dream On
    69 %|Jul 8, 1990
    Comedy
    poster
    Shannon's Deal
    80 %|Apr 16, 1990
    Drama
    poster
    Drug Wars: The Camarena Story
    61 %|Jan 7, 1990
    Drama, Crime
    actor
    I Married Dora
    50 %|Sep 22, 1987
    poster
    L.A. Law
    70 %|Sep 15, 1986
    Drama, War & Politics
    actor
    Tough Cookies
    50 %|Mar 5, 1986
    Comedy
    poster
    Cagney & Lacey
    69.47 %|Mar 25, 1982
    Crime, Drama
    poster
    T. J. Hooker
    63 %|Mar 13, 1982
    Drama, Crime
    poster
    Hill Street Blues
    76 %|Jan 15, 1981
    Drama, Crime