Elizabeth Pena dies - The Cuba-American actress, who has starred in over 80 films in a career spanning over 4 decades, was confirmed dead on Tuesday, Oct. 14th at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
Reports indicate that the prolific Hispanic actress, who would be best remembered for her roles in La Bamba, Jacobs' Ladder and The Incredible's, died of natural causes after a brief illness.
Mario-Francisco Robles, her nephew and film reviewer for the Latino-Review, announced her passing on Wednesday in an article.
Pena recently appeared in TNT's Major Crimes. She is reported to have recently finishing working on first batch of the El Rey Network's action series, Matador, in which she plays Maritza; the mother of the title character.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and colleague, Elizabeth Pena," The El Rey Network said in a statement following her death.
"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," the statement read.
Pena was born in New Jersey and raised by her Cuban parents. According to Robles, she "was destined for a career in the arts."
After graduating from New York's High School of Performing Arts in 1977, she went on land her first professional movie role in 1978 in El Super .
With appearances in films like Blue Steel and Rush Hour, she also starred on her own series on primetime tv ABC, I Married Doura.
Pena's voice has been used in several animated series including American Dad, and The Incredibles.
As Elizabeth Pena dies, her fans all over the world have turned to social media networks to express their condolences to her family and also to say how they felt about her work ethic and professionalism.
"I am stunned and heartbroken, just found out about the passing of my friend Elizabeth Pena. She was such a Life Force it's hard to believe," actor Lou Diamond Philips reportedly tweeted.
Philips also went on to say that the actress "was not only an amazing actress, she was one of the most vibrant, wonderful people I have ever known. My prayers to her family".
Elizabeth Pena's cause of death remains unknown. She is survived by her husband, two children, mother and a sister.
Many pundits have noted that as Elizabeth Pena dies, she is leaving a big gap in the in industry and will be widely missed.
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