"Modern Family" actress Elizabeth Pena has died at the age of 55 due to natural causes brought on by a brief illness, reported CNN.

The actress, who played Sofia Vergara's mother in the hit ABC sitcom had a prolific career that spanned over three-decade. Pena was part of an elite group of artists and her work included not only acting projects but also director roles as well. She is the fourth Latina to gain membership in the Director's Guild of America.

The New Jersey native's zdemise was first shared by her nephew, Mario-Francisco Robles, a writer for the Latino-Review. In an obituary he shared over the website, Robles confirms the actress' death at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

To remember the talented actress, below is the list of Pena's top movies:

1. La Bamba - Elizabeth brought Rosie Morales, the sister-in-law of rock 'n' roll icon Ritchie Valens, to life in the 1987 movie.
2. Jacob's Ladder - Elizabeth Pena showed off her versatility as an actress in the 1990 psychological horror as Jezebel "Jezzie" Pipkin.
3. Lone Star - In the 1996 flick, Pena took home the Best Supporting Actress award at the 1997 Independent Spirit Awards for her role as Pilar.
4. The Incredibles - Pena lent her voice to the character of Mirage, the trusted, right-hand woman of story villian Syndrome (Hason Lee) in Pixar's 2004 animated film.

Her career began with 1978's "El Super" which grew to a list of big and small roles including "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," "Free Willy 2," "Rush Hour" and "Blue Steel," to name a few. She also starred in her own ABC primetime series, "I Married Dora," a rarity for a Latina actress.

Words of Love For Elizabeth Pena

"She was an inspiration. A role model. A pillar. And a pisser," wrote Robles who spoke of how his aunt inspired his love for film.

"Guardians of the Galaxy" star Zoe Saldana has also shared her sentiments on the loss of an iconic Latin actress over Twitter: "My heart is broken!!! My prayers are with you and your family. We will miss you #ElizabethPena -ZS."

My heart is broken!!! My prayers are with you and your family. We will miss you #ElizabethPena –ZS

— Zoe Saldana (@zoesaldana) October 16, 2014

"I am stunned and heartbroken, just found out about the passing of my friend Elizabeth Peña. She was such a Life Force it's hard to believe," tweeted "La Bamba" colleague, actor Lou Diamond Phillips. "Elizabeth was not only an amazing actress, she was one of the most vibrant, wonderful people I have ever known. My prayers to her family," he added.

Pena was born in the United States but moved back to Cuba when she was less than a year old. The actress returned to the United States at the age of nine and went on to graduate from High School of the Performing Arts in Manhattan.

Pena leaves behind her husband Hans and two teenage children, Fiona and Kaelan, her mother and sister.