ACTRESS ELIZABETH PENA, 55, DIED FROM LIVER DISEASE 'DUE TO ALCOHOLISM'

Actress Elizabeth Pena died from cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol abuse, claims a new report.

The 55-year-old, who rose to fame in such 1980s classics as Down And Out In Beverly Hills and La Bamba, passed away on October 14 in Los Angeles.
A new report by TMZ claims that the death certificate for the star details how she suffered from cirrhosis of the liver 'due to alcohol.'

The gossip website goes on to claim that Pena had suffered from the liver disease for month before she died from gastrointestinal bleeding resulting in her heart stopping.
The star - who recently had a guest role on ABC's Modern Family as the mother of Sofia Vergara - died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Her nephew Mario-Francisco Robles wrote an obituary in the Latino Review about his aunt's career, which has spanned four decades.

Peña in 2013 appeared on two episodes of Modern Family as Pilar, the Colombian mother of Vergara's popular character Gloria Pritchett.
The New Jersey native also had roles in films such as Rush Hour, Jacob's Ladder, Lone Star, Blue Steel and Free Willy 2.
She also appeared on such TV shows as L.A. Law, Dream On and Resurrection Blvd. and directed a 2002 episode of the Showtime series Resurrection Blvd that was set in East Los Angeles.

Peña also provided her voice to The Incredibles, the Justice League cartoon series and American Dad.
She recently played the mother of the title character on the El Rey Network drama Matador.
The talented actress also was a founding member of the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors.

Peña was born on September 23, 1959 in New Jersey and was raised by her Cuban immigrant parents in Cuba and later New York.
She had a memorable role in the 1987 biopic La Bamba about the life and career of Chicano rock-n-roll singer Ritchie Valens who was portrayed by Lou Diamond Philips.
Peña played Valens' ex-girlfriend Rosie who later takes up with his abusive brother Bob and becomes pregnant with his child.

Critics praised her 1996 film Lone Star written and directed by John Sayles, 64, who earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for the border drama.
Peña was featured in an ensemble cast that also included Matthew McConaughey, Chris Cooper and Kris Kristofferson.
The film was set on the Texas-Mexican border and Peña worked hard on her portrayal of a schoolteacher, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.

'In the United States, all Spanish-speaking people are lumped into one category,' she was quoted telling the Dallas Morning News in 1996.
'But we're all so different. Argentinians are completely different from Mexicans. Mexicans are completely different from Cubans. Cubans are completely different from people from Paraguay and Uruguay,' she added.
The actress absorbed life on both sides of the border and even recorded people to get the proper inflection.

'I crossed the border a whole bunch to collect a lot of history. I would sit for hours looking at the women, how they dressed. I talked to people. I hung out. I shopped at the stores to see what kind of clothing was there and what food was eaten,' she said.
Peña was honoured with an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her portrayal of Pilar in the film.
The actress over her long film and television career also won four ALMA Awards, which are given to American Latino artists for promoting fair and accurate portrayals of Latinos in the media.

She was remembered via social media by admiring Hollywood stars.
'My heart is broken!!! My prayers are with you and your family. We will miss you #ElizabethPena,' actress Zoe Saldana, 36, posted on Twitter.
Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, 39, also remembered Pena and her contributions.

Rest in Peace Elizabeth Pena...you paved the way for so many of us!!,' Eva tweeted to her more than seven million followers on Twitter.
'So devastated to hear about the passing of Elizabeth Pena. A lovely friend and wonderful actress. She will be truly missed,' tweeted writer and director Robert Rodriguez.
Television star Mackenzie Phillips tweeted that she fondly recalled working with Peña on an indie film last year.
'My heart goes out to her loved ones tonight,' she added.
Peña is survived by her husband Hans Rolla and their daughter Fiona and son Kaelan, along with her mother Estela and sister Tania.