Elizabeth Peña
Known for Acting · 91 credits
- Born
- 1959-09-23
- Died
- 2014-10-14
- Place of birth
- Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
- Also known as
- Elizabeth Pena · Elizabeth Maria Peña · Elizabeth Anne Dickinson
Biography
Elizabeth Maria Peña (September 23, 1959 – 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.
Known For
TV Shows (26)
NCIS
2003
as Lina Reyes
American Dad!
2005
as Store Owner (voice)
Modern Family
2009
as Pilar Ramírez
CSI: Miami
2002
as Mercedes Escalante
Without a Trace
2002
as Rosie Diaz
Ghost Whisperer
2005
as Marla
Hill Street Blues
1981
Numb3rs
2005
as Sonya Benavides
L.A. Law
1986
as Jinx Baldasseri
T. J. Hooker
1982
as Maria
Cagney & Lacey
1982
Boston Public
2000
as Superintendent Elizabeth Vasquez
The Outer Limits
1995
as Dr. Jennifer Martinez
Justice League Unlimited
2004
as Paran-Dul (voice)
Justice League
2001
as Paran Dul (voice)
Dream On
1990
as Debra
Maya & Miguel
2004
as Rosa Santos (voice)
Shannon's Deal
1990
as Lucy Acosta
Resurrection Blvd.
2000
as Beatrice 'Bibi' Corrales
Charlie's Angels
2011
as Warden Gloria Galvez
Two
1996
as Elizabeth Gaitan
Dellaventura
1997
as Simone
Drug Wars: The Camarena Story
1990
as Mika Camarena
I Married Dora
1987
as Dora Calderon
Tough Cookies
1986
The Invaders
1995
as Ellen Garza
Movies (65)
The Incredibles
2004
as Mirage (voice)
Rush Hour
1998
as Johnson
Jacob's Ladder
1990
as Jezzie
La Bamba
1987
as Rosie Morales
Goal II: Living the Dream
2007
as Rosa Maria
Transamerica
2005
as Margaret
Impostor
2001
as Midwife (as Elizabeth Pena)
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
1995
as Kate Haley
*batteries not included
1987
as Marisa Esteval
Blue Steel
1990
as Tracy Perez
Dragon Wars: D-War
2007
as Agent Linda Perez
Gridlock'd
1997
as Admissions Person
Vibes
1988
as Consuelo
The Waterdance
1992
as Rosa
Lone Star
1996
as Pilar Cruz
Down and Out in Beverly Hills
1986
as Carmen
Down in the Valley
2005
as Gale
Mother and Child
2009
as Lawyer
Contagious
1997
as Det. Luisa Rojas
The Lost City
2005
as Miliciana (Zoraida) Muñoz
Grandma
2015
as Carla
Plush
2013
as Dr. Lopez
Tortilla Soup
2001
as Leticia Narnjo
Ana Maria in Novela Land
2015
as Sra. Soto
Zig Zag
2002
as Ms. Tate
Nothing Like the Holidays
2008
as Anna Rodriguez
Justice League: Starcrossed - The Movie
2004
as Paran Dul (voice)
Times Square
1980
as Disco Hostess
A Piece of the Action: Behind the Scenes of Rush Hour
1999
as Self
The Second Civil War
1997
as Christina Fernandez
Keep Your Distance
2005
as Holly
Strangeland
1998
as Toni Gage
Things Behind the Sun
2001
as Carmen
Fugitive Among Us
1992
as Flo Martin
Dead Funny
1994
as Viv Saunders
They All Laughed
1981
as Rita
Down for Life
2010
as Mrs. Castro
Suburban Madness
2004
as Clara Harris
Sueno
2005
as Mirabela
Ten Tiny Love Stories
2002
The Pass
1998
as Zeena
In the Dark
2013
as Dr. Weinette
Across the Moon
1994
as Carmen
Seven Girlfriends
2000
as Martha
The Perfect Family
2011
as Christina Rayes
It Came from Outer Space II
1995
as Ellen Fields
The Hollywood Mom's Mystery
2004
as Theresa Shoe
A Single Woman
2008
as Storyteller
El Super
1979
as Aurelita
The Song of Sway Lake
2019
as Marlena
Building 'Jacob's Ladder'
1990
as Self
Racing for Time
2008
as Flores
The Invaders
1995
as Ellen Garza
Roommates
1994
as Lisa
Love Comes Lately
2007
as Esperanza
Girl on the Edge
2015
as Esther
Adrift in Manhattan
2007
as Isabel Parades
Blaze You Out
2013
as Dona
On the Borderline
2001
as Connie
Border Line
1999
as Maria Rodriguez
How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer
2005
as Lolita
Shannon's Deal
1989
as Lucy Acosta
Crossover Dreams
1985
as Liz Garcia
Recon
1996
as Officer Santiago
Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within
1998
as Rosario Ames
About Elizabeth Peña
Elizabeth Maria Peña (September 23, 1959 – 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… With 91 credits spanning from 1979 to 2019, Elizabeth Peña has appeared in 65 films and 26 TV shows.
Fans searching for Elizabeth Peña movies, Elizabeth Peña filmography, or the latest projects starring Elizabeth Peña can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Elizabeth Peña Movies
- The Incredibles (2004) — as Mirage (voice)
- Rush Hour (1998) — as Johnson
- Jacob's Ladder (1990) — as Jezzie
- La Bamba (1987) — as Rosie Morales
- Goal II: Living the Dream (2007) — as Rosa Maria
Where to Watch Elizabeth Peña Films
Most Elizabeth Peña movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Elizabeth Peña, check our movies catalogue and browse page.