Lana Parrilla, born on July 15, 1977, in Brooklyn, New York City, is a distinguished American actress. Drawing from her Puerto Rican and Sicilian heritage, her childhood home was filled with creativity and artistic inspiration. Her father, Sam Parrilla, was a professional baseball player who played one season with the Philadelphia Phillies, while her aunt Candice Azzara was an established Broadway and TV actress.

Her acting career started with minor roles in movies like "Very Mean Men" (2000) and "Frozen Stars" (2003). Her first big break came in 1999 when she made her television debut in the UPN sitcom "Grown Ups."

She gained further recognition as a regular cast member in the fifth season of the ABC sitcom "Spin City" (2000–2001), followed by her portrayal of Sarah Gavin in the fourth season of the Fox series "24" in 2005.

In 2011, she took on the role that would define much of her career—the dual roles of The Evil Queen and Regina Mills in the ABC fantasy drama series "Once Upon a Time" (2011–2018). Her performance won her the ALMA Award for Outstanding TV Actress - Drama in 2012 and a Teen Choice Award for Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress in 2016. Her fans and critics universally praised her for bringing depth and nuance to the complex characters.

Her other significant television roles include starring in "Boomtown" (2002–2003), "Windfall" (2006), "Swingtown" (2008), and "Miami Medical" (2010). In 2021, she joined the cast of "Why Women Kill" for its second season, playing the role of Rita Castillo.

Her personal life has also been of public interest. She was married to Alfredo Di Blasio in July 2014, though they divorced in 2018.

Among her accolades, she has received six wins and eleven nominations across various awards platforms. She has been recognized with an Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress on TV, multiple ALMA Awards, and even a Saturn Award nomination.