Early Life and Artistic Roots Lana Maria Parrilla, born July 15, 1977, in the vibrant borough of Brooklyn, New York City, embodies a fascinating blend of artistic heritage and determined ambition. Her upbringing was steeped in creative energy, nurtured by a mother, Dolores Dee Azzara, with a deep passion for painting—a foundational influence that would later propel Parrilla toward a career in the performing arts. While her father, Sam Parrilla, carved his own path as a professional baseball player, it was the artistic inclination of her maternal side, particularly her aunt Candice Azzara’s w…