Actress Elizabeth Pena dies at 55
(Image credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Actress Elizabeth Pena, who appeared in a wide range of films and television shows including La Bamba, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Modern Family, and The Incredibles, has died following a brief illness. She was 55.

Pena was born Sept. 23, 1959, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Her parents were both in entertainment: Her father, Mario, was an actor, writer, and director, while her mother, Estella Margarita, was a producer. Recently, Pena regularly appeared on the crime drama Matador and portrayed the mother of Sofia Vergara's character on Modern Family. In addition to acting, Pena directed several television episodes, and was a founding member of the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors.

Her La Bamba co-star, Lou Diamond Phillips, tweeted that he was "stunned and heartbroken" over the death of his friend. "She was such a Life Force it's hard to believe," he wrote. "Elizabeth was not only an amazing actress, she was one of the most vibrant, wonderful people I have ever know. My prayers to her family."

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Pena is survived by her husband, Hans Rolla, daughter Fiona, son Kaelan, and her mother and sister.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.