Actress Elizabeth Peña 1959-2014

[Zoneboy]

Link

Elizabeth Peña has passed away. The actress, with a professional career spanning nearly 40 years, left us on the night of October 14 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She had recently wrapped work on the first season of the El Rey Network's action series, Matador, where she played the title character's mother Maritza.

Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey and raised by her Cuban immigrant parents, Peña was destined for a career in the arts. Her father, Mario, was a playwright, director, actor, and designer in their native Cuba, who opened up the Latin American Theatre Ensemble after establishing a life for he and his family in New York. As a teen, Peña began making a name for herself as a formidable young actress in the New York theatre scene. She attended, and graduated from, the High School of Performing Arts and began her professional film career in 1978 with León Ichaso's El Super. A few years later, the ambitious Cubana would set off to try her fortunes over on the west coast.

That move would prove fruitful, as she would go on to land roles in several major films in the 1980s. By the end of that decade, she had a resumé that included La Bamba, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, *batteries not included, and Blue Steel. She even did something that was almost unheard of for a Latina actress: She had her own primetime ABC series, I Married Dora. She played the title role of Dora in the series, which became infamous and notable because of its controversial premise- which centered on a "green card marriage" that would eventually evolve into something more genuine.

She kicked off the 90s with a prominent role opposite Tim Robbins in Jacob's Ladder. She continued her string of notable films with roles in the critically lauded John Sayles drama, Lone Star opposite Matthew McConaughey, as well as Rush Hour and Free Willy 2. Along the way, she racked up TV appearances on L.A. Law, Dream On, Shannon's Deal, and Drug Wars: The Camarena Story.

At the turn of the century, Peña began shifting her talents in new directions. Aside from starring roles in films like Tortilla Soup, How The Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer, Nothing Like The Holidays, and Showtime's Resurrection Blvd, Peña began branching out as both a voice actress and as a director. She directed episodes of a few television series, and lent her vocal talents to everything from the Academy Award-nominated Pixar film The Incredibles (Mirage) to the Justice League cartoon series (Paran Dul), and Seth MacFarlane's American Dad!

Aside from her current work as a series regular on Matador, Peña also had a recurring guest star spot as Pilar, the mother of Sofia Vergara's Gloria on the hit ABC comedy Modern Family.

At the time of her death, Peña had just turned 55.

She is survived by her husband Hans, her two teenage children Fiona and Kaelan, her mother Estela, and her sister, Tania.

My Personal Take

I didn't call her Elizabeth, or Liz, or Leechy. She wasn't Aunt, Auntie, Tia, or Titi. To me...she was Ñaña. That was the name I assigned my aunt when I was just a baby, and it's the name I continued to refer to her as when I visited her in Los Angeles last week. She was our star. She was my star. We celebrated her triumphs. We sweated through her struggles. As a family, even when we didn't always talk, we would all do whatever we could for one another. When I got married 3 years ago, despite their being some logistical hurdles, she flew herself, her husband, and both her kids to attend my special night in New York's Hudson River Valley. Dancing with her, my uncle, and my cousins under the stars that night is a memory I've always cherished, and it's now one that I'll have to hold onto for the rest of my life.

My Ñaña is gone.

[Zoneboy]

[gidgetgrape]

I loved Elizabeth in *batteries not included and LaBama. I was so disappointed when I Married Dora was cancelled. RIP!

[70s show watcher]

Originally Posted by gidgetgrape

I loved Elizabeth in *batteries not included and LaBama. I was so disappointed when I Married Dora was cancelled. RIP!

I always liked I married dora too she was a wonderful actress

[Vahan]

Very sad to hear this. La Bamba was a great film with a great soundtrack, and she was terrific in it.

[Bonniegirl]

Oh no!!! Very sad!!! She was Rosie in La Bamba!!! I liked her! La Bamba was one of my favorite movies, and I esp liked Rosie and Bob (Esai Morales)!!! I also liked her in I married Dora!! 55 is so young!!!!

RIP Elizabeth!

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

I loved that show. Very underrated and a great final episode.

She was so young. R.I.P. Elizabeth.

[D-Dey]

I just read about this tonight. I remember her from "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," but I also remember that she had the best line from "The Incredibles" too;


"Next time you gamble, bet your own life."
--Mirage.

[Marvo301]

Elizabeth Pena

[Mace Dolex]

RIP

Like many here I also remember her from La Bamba and *Batteries Not Included, too bad too since even at 55 she still had many more years to entertain her fans.

[Patty Duke]

RIP

[AB]

Rest in peace.

[Zoneboy]

Link

Elizabeth Peña, the “Jacob’s Ladder” and “La Bamba” actress who died Oct. 14 at the age of 55, died due to complications from alcohol abuse, according to a new report from TMZ.

Per the report, her death certificate reads that her passing was the cause of cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol abuse. Gastrointestinal bleeding hours before her death caused her heart to stop.

The actress reportedly suffered from the disease for months, but it became more severe leading up to her death.

Peña was also known for roles in “Rush Hour,” “Blue Steel” and “Batteries Not Included,” along with a recurring guest role on “Modern Family.” She also recently wrapped work on the first season of El Rey Network’s “Matador.”

[HauntedThunderman94]

RIP Great actress

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

I loved that show. Very underrated and a great final episode.

She was so young. R.I.P. Elizabeth.

http://www.avclub.com/article/you-gu...s-refer-211966

12. I Married Dora (1987-1988)

The short-lived sitcom I Married Dora struggled through three low-rated months in 1987 before ABC finally pulled the plug, with viewers somehow never warming to the show about an architect (Daniel Hugh Kelly) entering into a green-card marriage with his housekeeper (the late Elizabeth Peña), then attempting to raise his two kids (one of whom was played by a young Juliette Lewis). But with the cancellation handed down midway through the series’ run, the producers had the opportunity to ensure it went out big, at least: The finale saw Kelly’s architect leaving his family behind for a job in Bahrain, when suddenly he reappeared in the airport, saying, “It’s been canceled.” As Peña asked, “The flight?” Kelly responded, “No, our series!” Fourth wall demolished and curtains pulled back, I Married Dora finally had an unforgettable moment, right at the moment it was being forgotten. [Sean O’Neal]