Elizabeth Pena Dead: ‘Rush Hour’ Actress’ Death Shocks Fans

Elizabeth Pena, actress best known for Rush Hour and La Bamba, is dead at age 55, according to Variety. The announcement came from her nephew Mario-Francisco Robles, writer at the Latino Review, who announced that the beloved Hispanic actress died on Tuesday, October 14 in the evening at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. An official cause of death for Elizabeth Pena has not yet been released, but according to her loving nephew, she died of natural causes after a long illness.

Elizabeth Pena’s nephew, Mario-Francisco Robeles, wrote a beautiful review of her life. He remembered the aunt he calls Ñaña this way.

“Dancing with her, my uncle, and my cousins under the stars that night is a memory I’ve always cherished, and it’s now one that I’ll have to hold onto for the rest of my life. My Ñaña is gone. “

The Cuban actress and New Jersey native loved acting and her family. In one of her best quotes Elizabeth Pena states the following.

“I love acting. When I’m acting I feel like I’m on vacation. I’m just having a wonderful time. The nightmare is just getting the work to happen.”

Distraught fans are expressing their shock and sadness on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

“She was only 55 years old. One of the most underrated actress of our times!! Que en paz descanse!!”

“Gods Speed, Elizabeth…”

“RIP, great actress in LA Bamba. One of my favorite’s.”

According to Examiner, Elizabeth Pena was a tremendous actress who brought depth to her television roles, such as in Modern Family, according to Inquisitr. She also showed great range as an actress in movies such as Suburban Madness, a Lifetime true-story movie about husband killer Clara Harris. Hispanic/Latino movies, such as How The Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer and Tortilla Soup also showcased Pena’s unique talent. Elizabeth Pena is one Hollywood actress who will surely be missed.

Biographical research on the actress indicates that she was born in New Jersey but raised in Cuba, before returning to the U.S. at the age of 8. She gained acting experience in the theater as a small child. Her first movie role was in the 1977 movie The Super, about a Cuban family adjusting to life in the United States. In the 1980’s and 1990’s Pena complained about the lack of good roles for Latinas but expressed gladness that she was one of the working Hispanics in the Hollywood industry. Elizabeth Pena leaves behind her husband, mother and two children — Fiona and Kaelan.