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Elizabeth Pena Biography (1959-)

Born September 23, 1959, in Elizabeth, NJ; daughter of Mario (an actor, writer, and director) and Estella Margarita (a producer and arts administrator; maiden name, Toirac) Pena; married William Stephan Kibler (a teacher), 1988 (marriage ended); married Hans Rolla (a carpenter and contractor), 1994; children: (second marriage) one daughter, one son. Addresses: Agent: ParadigmTalent Agency, 10100 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 2500, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

Gender

Female

Occupation

Actress

Birth Details

September 23, 1959

Elizabeth, New Jersey

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Appearances
• Aurelita, El Super, New Yorker Films, 1979
• Disco hostess, Times Square, Associated Film Distributors, 1980
• Rita, They All Laughed, 1981
• Liz Garcia, Crossover Dreams, Crossover Films, Ltd., 1984
• Carmen, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Buena Vista, 1985
• Rosie Morales, La Bamba, Columbia, 1986
• Marisa Esquivel, *Batteries Not Included, 1987
• Consuela, Vibes, Columbia, 1988
• Tracy Perez, Blue Steel, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1990
• Jezebel, Jacob's Ladder (also known as Dante's Inferno), TriStar, 1990
• Rosa, The Waterdance, Samuel Goldwyn, 1992
• Vivian "Viv" Saunders, Dead Funny, 1994 A-pix Entertainment, 1995
• Carmen, Across the Moon, Hemdale, 1994
• Kate Haley, Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, Warner Bros., 1995
• Recon, 1996
• Pilar Cruz, Lone Star, Sony Pictures Classics, 1996
• Zena, The Pass (also known as Highway Hitcher), York Entertainment, 1998
• Demolition specialist Tania Johnson, Rush Hour, New Line Cinema, 1998
• Toni Gage, Strangeland (also known as Dee Snider's StrangeLand), Artisan Entertainment, 1998
• Martha, Seven Girlfriends, Castle Hill Productions, 1999
• Connie, On the Borderline, Monochrome Films, 2000
• Carmen, Things behind the Sun, Behind the Sun Productions, 2001
• Leticia Naranjo, Tortilla Soup, Samuel Goldwyn Company, 2001
• Also appeared in Fat Chance.
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Officer Connie Rivera, Tough Cookies, CBS, 1986
• Dora Calderon, I Married Dora, ABC, 1987-1988
• Lucy Acosta, Shannon's Deal, NBC, 1990-1991
• Bibi Carrales, Resurrection Blvd., Showtime, 2000
• Also appeared in As the World Turns.
• Miniseries
• Mika Camarena, Drug Wars: The Camarena Story (also known as Desperados: The "Kiki" Camarena Story and Desperados: The Camarena Story), NBC, 1990
• Ellen Garza, The Invaders, The WB, 1995
• Movies
• Flo Martin, Fugitive among Us, CBS, 1992
• Lisa, Roommates, NBC, 1994
• Ellen Fields, It Came from Outer Space II, Sci-Fi Channel, 1996
• Lou, Contagious (also known as Virus), USA Network, 1997
• Christina, The Second Civil War, HBO, 1997
• Rosario Ames, Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within, Showtime, 1998
• Episodic
• Cagney & Lacey, CBS, 1985
• Maria, "Ripoff," T. J. Hooker, CBS, 1985
• Alice, "Come and Get It," Hill Street Blues, 1986
• Debra, "Super Freak," Dream On, 1993
• Jinx Baldasseri, "Leap of Faith," L.A. Law, NBC, 1993
• Jinx Baldasseri, "Pacific Rimshot," L.A. Law, NBC, 1993
• Jinx Baldasseri, "Eli's Gumming," L.A. Law, NBC, 1993
• Jinx Baldasseri, "Whistle Stop," L.A. Law, NBC, 1994
• Dr. Jennifer Martinez, "Living Hell," The Outer Limits, Showtime and syndicated, 1995
• Gisella, "Fortune Teller," Dead Man's Gun, Showtime, 1997
• Also appeared in episodes of Dellaventura; Feeling Good, PBS; and Saturday Night Live, NBC.
• Specials
• Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville, ABC, 1987
• The 4th Annual Desi Awards, syndicated, 1992
• Other
• Lucy Acosta, Shannon's Deal (pilot), NBC, 1989
• Elizabeth Gaitan, Two, 1995
• Maria, Border Line, NBC, 1999
• Stage Appearances
• Jesse, Dog Lady, International Arts Relations Theatre, New York City, 1984
• Jane, Becoming Garcia, Louis Abron Arts for Living Center, New York City, 1984
• Appeared as barmaid, Act One and Only, Public Theatre; Maria, Bring on the Night, Sutton Theatre; Teresa, Italian-American Reconciliation, GNU Theatre; Teresa, La Morena, Henry Street Playhouse; Beba, Night of the Assassins, La Mama Experimental Theatre Club; Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, Gramercy Arts Theatre; and Cynthia, Shattered Image, American Theatre of Actors; also appeared in Antigone, BloodWedding, and Cinderella, off-Broadway production.
• Major Tours
• Toured as Juliet, Romeo and Juliet.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

• Dictionary of Hispanic Biography, Gale, 1996

Periodicals

• Parade, February 14, 1999
• People Weekly, May 13, 1991, pp. 107-08