Almost two months after the unfortunate passing of actor and comedian Robin Williams, we have news of another loss of talent.
Elizebeth Pena, best known as the voice of Mirage in Disney and Pixar’s The Incredibles, died on October 14 due to natural causes brought on by a brief illness in the Ceders-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She was 55.
Her death was confirmed the following day on Latino Review by Mario-Francisco Robles, Pena’s nephew and film critic. The nature of her illness has not been disclosed as of current.
Pena was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1959. She spent her early years in Cuba before moving to New York at the age of eight. There she graduated from New York’s High School of Performing Arts in 1977.
She would go on to star in a number of roles, including stints on TV shows such as Hill Street Blues, American Dad, Justice League, and Modern Family. She also had roles in movies such as La Bamba, Rush Hour, and *batteries not included. Interestingly enough, one of the writers of *battaries not included was Brad Bird, who would later go on to direct The Incredibles 17 years later.
In that movie, she was the voice of Mirage, Syndrome’s seductive right-hand woman who lured Mr. Incredible into a James Bond-esque lifestyle that allows him use of his superpowers, only to later get ensnared in Syndrome’s diabolical plot. Eventually Mirage has a change of heart and decides to help The Incredibles in their mission to stop Syndrome.
Her last on-screen appearance was a recurring role as Maritza Sandoval, the mother of DEA turned CIA agent Tony Bravo (played by Gabriel Luna) on the Robert Rodriguez-produced TV series Matador.
A truly sad and sudden end to a wonderful career of a truly talented actress. Unfortunately, her passing leaves her role open to be recast in the recently-confirmed The Incredibles 2 (assuming Mirage would have made an appearance in that film).
She is survived by her husband Hans Rolla and their two children.
