American actress Elizabeth Pena, known from films like Rush Hour, Lone Star and The Incredibles, dies at the age of 55. Elizabeth Pena had declared that she got into acting after having convinced a Disney security guard to let her see a casting director. She also appeared in shows like Modern Family and I Married Dora. The list of movies Elizabeth Pena was featured in includes: Jacob’s Ladder, Down and Out In Beverly Hills, Batteries Not Included andBlue Steel. Elizabeth Pena’s manager told the press that the actress had died due to a brief illness.
Elizabeth Pena first caught the attention of the public after playing in Down and Out in Beverly Hills, back in 1986. She played the role of Carmen. Her co-stars were Bette Midler, Nick Nolte and Richard Dreyfuss. After having been told she was not attractive enough to play the role of Carmen, she bribed one of the security guards and managed to go in and see the casting director. For her role in Tortilla Soup, in 2002, she won an American Latino Media Arts Award. She played numerous parts in TV series, as well. In the famous I Married Dora, she played the part of a Hispanic housekeeper who married her employer. Elizabeth Pena won an Independent Spirit Award for the role she played in Lone Star. She played alongside Chris Cooper and Matthew McConaughey.
Fellow actors who payed her tribute include America Ferrera. She wrote on her Twitter account: “Heartbroken to hear the news of Elizabeth Pena’s death. She was such a light. So glad I knew her. So sad she’s gone”. Debra Messing said: “A ferociously funny, fierce and singular actress. A beautiful woman who has gone way too soon… I miss you already – RIP”. Jesse Tyler Ferguson, the actor who plays Mitchell Pritchett in Modern Family wrote: “The entire cast and crew are very sad to say goodbye to one of our Modern Family members. RIP to the beautiful & talented #ElizabethPena”. Elizabeth Pena had recently played in Matador, with Isabella Gomez and Gabriel Luna. The network airing the show released the following statement: “She was a role model, a truly extraordinary performer and an inspiration in every sense of the word. Our thoughts are with Elizabeth’s family and friends during this difficult time. She will be deeply missed”.