Renowned character actress ELIZABETH PENA dies after a brief illness at 55.
Elizabeth Pena, an actress who gained fame via her roles in La Bamba and Jacob’s Ladder, as well as ABC’s Modern Family, died at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Tuesday at 55 from natural causes, her manager Gina Rugolo said on Wednesday.
“She was such a Life Force it’s hard to believe,” her La Bamba co-star Lou Diamond Phillips tweeted. “Elizabeth was not only an amazing actress, she was one of the most vibrant, wonderful people I have ever known.
“My prayers to her family.”
The talented Elizabeth, New Jersey native made her mark in a series of standout performances through her career.
She made a mark in films such as Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Rush Hour and Lone Star The Incredibles and TV programs including I Married Dora, Dream On, L.A. Law, Modern Family (playing Sofia Vergara’s mom) and most recently, the El Rey network’s “Matador.
Adios, amiga.
