Elizabeth Peña (born September 23, 1961) is an American actress who has also compiled experience as a television director in her own right. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and the daughter of Estella Margarita, an arts administrator and producer, and Mario Peña, the Cuban-born actor, writer, and director who jointly founded the Latin American Theatre Ensemble. Peña graduated from New York's famous High School of Performing Arts in 1977.
Her classmates included Ving Rhames, alongside whom she would later co-star in Jacob's Ladder, and Esai Morales, alongside whom she would later co-star in La Bamba.<.