Lela Loren

Biography

Lela Loren is an American TV & film actress. She appeared in the leading role of Angela Valdes in the TV series Power in 2014. She has appeared in "Altered Carbon" as Danica Harlan, in "American Gods as Marguerite Olsen.

Her recent works include Awareness(2023), Knox Goes Away(2023)

Childhood- Family

Lela Loren was born on 7th May 1980 in Sacramento, California, USA as Maria Loren Avellaneda Sharp. 

Her mother is a Mexican, her father- an American. Because of her ancestry she can speak many languages including- English, Italian, Spanish.

Her mother received her college degree in her 40s and later worked as a teacher. Her American father was an economist.

[Lela Loren's father and brother]

She has an older brother in Daniel Loren. Daniel is an executive chef at a restaurant in New York City.

Despite her mother being a Mexican, Lela didn't speak Spanish till she was 10 years old. Learning Spanish helped her connect well with her mother's side of the family, especially when she visited her mother's ancestral place (Tierra Caliente) in Mexico. [2]

[Lela Loren with her brother Daniel Loren]

Career

Mistake of Acting: When she was in college, she signed up for a fine arts class, she was informed two weeks later that she had been automatically placed in beginner's acting class because fine arts' classes were full, she experimented with it and took it seriously and found a career in it.

On her entry into acting, she said:

I begrudgingly fell in love with it. Instead of feeling great about it, I had this awful, sinking feeling I was going to mess up my whole life! Everyone knows that actors end up waiting tables.

Movie Debut: Between the Lines(2006)- she played the role of a Mexican immigrant in the movie.

Education

• She attended an all-girls school
• High School: In High school, she was part of the all-boys rowing team.
• Whitman College: She attended the Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. A private liberal arts college. She graduated with a BA in Theatre
• Ruskin School of Acting: She studied performing arts at Ruskin School of Acting in 2002.

Trivia & Interesting Facts

• Lela appeared in numerous TV & film roles, but all minor ones, "H+: The Digital Series" was the first TV series to cast her in prominent & recurring role. "Gang Related" was another series where she had prominent role. Her role in "The Shield" also had some scope.
• Power(2014) gave her the biggest boost of her role, she for the first time landed in the leading role.
• Loren also appeared in a small role in the 3rd part of American comedy movie Hangover.
• Power(2014) is produced by Starz, a New York city based company. Lela doesn't want to move to New York for the sake of her work, she prefers to keep in touch with her friends and family who are all in California.
• Lela & her co-star Omari Hardwick in the show Power, share good onscreen chemistry, she credits it to the trust they share, they are personally good friends.
• She considers herself "goofball & lighthearted"
• Before she landed in the role of Angela in Power(2014), her bank balance was $86.
• She participated in the Women's march against Trump administration.
• Vitriol for being the 'Other woman': She often faces venom on internet for her onscreen affair with the character played by Omari. "People often forget the difference between reality and fantasy" she opines.
• She is quite fascinated with the fact that audience gives her suggestions on how to dress, especially for the intimate scenes.
• She likes to keep her romantic life private, and nobody knows of her love life in the media for sure.
• She was doing major in biology while in college.
• Designers she likes: Diane Von Furstenberg, Stella McCartney, Derek Lam
• She owns a mansion in California.
• She is said to have many high class cars including a Mercedes Benz.
• She helped pay for her college by doing commercial fishing in Alaska.
• She writes poems, sometimes as a means of preparation for her roles.
• She supported the 2023 sagaftra strikes in support of rising screen actors' salary

Animal Lover

She loves pets, has always had pets with her

I wanted to be the next Jane Goodall, I had, like, four cats, dogs, a scrub jay I rescued, a snake, frogs, mice - inevitably something would get loose. [2]

Filmography

Movies

Series

Stage

Quotes

• I'm kind of gross in real life, a little bit crass. I'm not always a proper lady.
• I've always equated success with having integrity, conducting yourself with compassion and honesty, and following your heart
• [About sex scenes in the TV series] At the time, it's an absurd comedy. It's so weird and strange, but it comes out so real when watched on TV.
• [About life before Power] I had $86 in my account. I was on the verge of having to move in with my parents
• I hope I make nerdy, sexy
• For those of you who seem unable to separate storytelling from reality-there’s help for that. Go get it
• My mother raised me not to care how rich someone is, how many houses they own. It’s all about how decent you are as a person and how generous your heart is. Your character is your character regardless of your circumstance. [2]

Sources

1. Lela Loren on wikipedia
2. USA Today interview
3.