Actress Elizabeth Pena dies at 55


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."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Pena is survived by her husband, Hans Rolla, daughter Fiona, son Kaelan, and her mother and sister.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Every MCU movie since 'Avengers: Endgame,' ranked
The Week Recommends How did the recent 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' stack up?
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Court says labor board's structure unconstitutional
Speed Read The ruling has broad implications for labor rights enforcement in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
A long weekend in Zürich
The Week Recommends The vibrant Swiss city is far more than just a banking hub
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play