Lana Parrilla

July 15, 2025

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Lana Maria Parrilla was born on 15 July 1977 in Brooklyn, New York to famous baseball player Sam Parrilla, and her mother, a bank professional. Her mother was very interested in the arts, particularly painting, and Parrilla associates her mother as her main inspiration when it comes to getting involved in the entertainment industry. She also associates her love of acting with her aunt, Candice Azzara, who was a well-known actress. Her mother and father split when the actress was just three years old, and she lived with her mother until she was 10. After this, she lived with her father until his death when the young star was just 16 years old. After completing high school, the actress went on to attend Beverly Hills Playhouse and began her career in the spotlight. The rest is history, and today, Lana Parrilla is a household name and has a flourishing career.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Lana Maria Parrilla

Nickname:

Lana

Birth date:

July 15, 1977

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Cancer

Height:

5' 5"

Relationship Status:

In a relationship

Net Worth:

$3 million

Background

Lana Parilla was born on 15 July 1977 in Brooklyn, New York and she has grown to be a force to be reckoned with within the entertainment industry! She had always had a love for acting that stemmed from her mother, who took an interest in art and painting, as well as from her aunt who was a well-known actress. Though she was inspired by her family, her father was quite strict up until his unfortunate passing when she was only 16 years old. Before then, she did not entertain the thought of going into the arts industry. When she was 18, she enrolled in Beverly Hills Playhouse and began learning about the industry and improving her acting skills.

Parrilla’s career began when she received a couple of smaller roles in a few movies, a few of these include “Spiders” and “Frozen Stars.” While these roles allowed her to scrape by, it was not until 1999 when she was cast in the sitcom “Grown Ups” that her career began to take off. While she played a small role in this sitcom, it led her to be noticed within the industry and soon she was cast in a bigger role in the comedy series “Spin City.” Though this launched her into new opportunities, she was unhappy with the quality of the show and left it in 2001. In 2003, she won an Imagen Award for her following role in the series “Boomtown.”

She continued with many different roles that she received over the next few years, continuing to grow in the world of entertainment. The biggest role of her career came in 2011 when she received the chance of a lifetime to play the evil queen on the hit T.V. series “Once Upon a Time.” This role threw her into the limelight and is the reason why she has become such a big name in Hollywood. Parrilla is still in the limelight today and she continues to grow with every character and show she appears on. We cannot wait to see what’s in store for this talented actress.

Career timeline

1999

“Grown Ups”

Her first major role is in the sitcom “Grown Ups,” and though her role is not a big one, it garners the attention she needs to further her career.

2000

Role in “Spin City”

In 2000, she is cast in the series “Spin City,” which attracts many talent agents.

2003

Received an Imagen Award

For her role in the series “Boomtown,” she receives an Imagen Award in 2003.

2011

Role in “Once Upon a Time”

In 2011, she receives the role of a lifetime and gets the chance to play the evil queen in “Once Upon a Time.”

Why We Love Lana Parrilla

She supports the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
This wildlife trust is centered around protecting and preserving wildlife in Africa. Lana Parrilla is a big supporter!
Supports the Global Gift Foundation
Her support of the global gift foundation was recognized in 2019, with her generosity and willingness to help. We love philanthropy and her big heart!
She is an ambassador for F.I.N.C.A. Canada
As an organization that supports women and women empowerment, Lana Parrilla saw fit to become an ambassador for this amazing foundation! This only serves to highlight her deep compassion for the betterment of society.

5 Surprising Facts

She has a scar on her lip
When she was younger, she was bitten by a dog and has a permanent scar on her lip.
Her aunt is actress Candice Azzara
Actress Candice Azzara is her aunt and she associates her love of acting with spending time with her.
She has formal vocal training
Many people assume that you only need formal voice training if you are going to be a singer, but she received training to help with her acting.
She has a feather tattoo
When Parrilla was feeling uncertain about her move to Los Angeles from New York, a feather landed on her shoulder and she decided to commemorate it by getting a tattoo.
She trained at Beverly Hills Playhouse
Before beginning her career in acting, Lana enrolled in the Beverly Hills Playhouse, the same place that George Clooney went to when he began his acting career.