‘Once Upon a Time’ Star Lana Parrilla Says She Used to Live Out of Her Car and Fears Becoming Unhoused Again: ‘It Terrifies Me Still’
Lana Parrilla revealed in a podcast interview Tuesday that in her early years pursuing the arts, she was unhoused and living out of her car. She said the fear of ending back in that position helps motivate her work ethic today.
“There’s always a little part of me, in the back of my head, that’s like, ‘Oh my god, don’t ever stop working so hard,'” Parrilla told Tommy DiDario on the “I’ve Never Said This Before” podcast. “I was homeless for two months living in a car. I just don’t ever want to end up there again.”
She added, “It forces me to be more creative and find new ways to make money and find all these different ways to, like, develop projects and do you own thing and take on all these new talents.”
The “Once Upon a Time” star appeared on the podcast promoting her new Netflix movie “Atlas,” which she stars in opposite Jennifer Lopez, Sterling K. Brown and Simu Liu. She eventually detailed her early struggles making a career and a name for herself while separated at a young age from her family.
My conversation with the brilliant @LanaParrilla is out now on my podcast, “I’ve Never Said This Before.” I hope you enjoy — it’s a special one.
Listen here:
Apple: https://t.co/EPNtRfvPMn
Spotify: https://t.co/7eurHmSfnX#LanaParrilla#Atlas#OnceUponaTime#ouatpic.twitter.com/ZsbDXJtqSl— Tommy DiDario (@tommydidario) May 28, 2024
“There was a time, early on on my career — and it was very early on — I was living on my own, like 19 years old. It was a really hard time,” she said. “My family and I were in different places, and I was kind of left on my own.
“It was really hard to support yourself and, you know, chase after a dream, and also try to get an education all at the same time. I couldn’t do it all. I had to drop out of college, which broke my heart. I had to figure how to make more money to support myself.”
Being left on her own to chase her dream led her to sleeping in her car and couch surfing at friends’ apartments. It’s an experience that never left her.
“It terrifies me still to this day,” Parrilla said. “That, like, that could ever be a reality for us as artists.”
Despite being as established as she is, that fear has only grown with time.
“At 19 years old, it’s different,” she says, “but, at 46, it’s a lot scarier.”
Listen to the actress’ full podcast interview here.
Parrilla’s new movie “Atlas” is currently streaming on Netflix.
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