Elizabeth Peña

Elizabeth Maria Peña (September 23, 1959 – October 14, 2014 ) was an American actress. Her film credits include Down and Out in Beverly Hills, 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. 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. 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) 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"

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2004 The Incredibles Mirage Voice 2013 Disney Infinity