Veteran actress Elizabeth Peña died Tuesday of natural causes at the age of 55. Her manager Gina Rugolo confirmed the news to CNN. Peña passed in Los Angeles following a short illness.

She is known for a more than three-decade-spanning acting career in both movie and television roles. Her credits include parts in "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," "Rush Hour," "The Incredibles" and "La Bamba." On television, she was known for playing Sofia Vergara's mother on the ABC hit-sitcom "Modern Family" and most recently in "Matador."

She even attempted directing and became the fourth Latina member of the Director's Guild of America when she joined. Peña came from a background of performance, she hailed from Elizabeth, New Jersey, and graduated from New York's High School of Performing Arts in 1977.

Her nephew Mario-Francisco Robles issued a statement Tuesday to announce his aunt's passing.

"She did it all, and she made it look fun," the statement said. "She made it look easy. But I know it wasn't. I know she had a drive like no other, and that she was a force to be reckoned with when she decided it was time to make it big or ... well, nothing. She never considered an alternative. Her singular focus was breathtaking, and awe-inspiring."

"Tonight, my family is heartbroken," Robles continued. "There's now a void that will never be filled. All we can do now is remember your sharp sense of humor, your endless hunger for life, and your never ending pursuit of happiness."

"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," actor Lou Diamond Phillips, who starred in "La Bamba" with Peña, said. "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."

Peña is survived by her nephew, sister and mother as well as her husband and two children.