Lela Loren

Lela Loren – Life, Career, and Memorable Quotes

Explore the life, career, and public voice of Lela Loren — American actress born May 7, 1980. Dive into her early life, acting journey, values, and notable quotes from interviews and public appearances.

Introduction

Lela Loren (born May 7, 1980) is an American actress best known for her role as Angela Valdes in the Starz series Power. Over the years, she’s appeared in television, film, and stage roles, and has spoken candidly about identity, struggle, and creativity. In this article, we treat her as both an actress and a public “author” of ideas — via her interviews, statements, and the themes she explores.

Early Life and Family

Lela Loren was born Maria Loren Avellaneda Sharp on May 7, 1980, in Sacramento, California (or San Bernardino County, per some sources).

Loren grew up in Sacramento, and she spent summers in the Mexican region connected to her mother’s heritage.

As a child, she had many pets and once considered studying biology.

Youth, Education & Turning toward Acting

Loren initially enrolled at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, majoring in biology. B.A. in theatre in 2002.

To help fund her college expenses, she once worked on a commercial fishing boat in Alaska, where she was the only woman onboard.

She also studied performing arts at the Ruskin School of Acting.

Career and Achievements

Early Roles & Television Work

Loren’s early career involved small roles in established television series. She “paid dues” with minor parts on The Shield, Gang Related, and episodes of the CSI franchise. Cold Case and Ghost Whisperer.

Her television credits expanded to NCIS, Chuck, Lost, The Mentalist, Covert Affairs, and others.

Breakthrough with Power

Loren’s breakout role came when she was cast as Angela Valdes on Power (2014–2019), where she starred in many episodes.

In interviews about Power, she has commented on how success to her doesn’t solely mean fame or money:

“I don’t feel like I’ve ever subscribed to the stereotypical notion of success. I’ve always equated success with having integrity, conducting yourself with compassion and honesty, and following your heart despite whether or not you ever make any money at it.”

She has also shared that before Power, she was in a precarious financial state—reportedly having as little as $86 in her bank account.

Recent Projects & Film

After Power, Loren continued to expand into other genres and platforms. In 2019, she joined Season 2 of Altered Carbon (Netflix) as Danica Harlan. American Gods Season 3 as Marguerite Olsen.

On the film side, she has appeared in Reign Over Me (2007) and The Hangover Part III (2013). The Man from Toronto (2022), Awareness (2023), and Knox Goes Away (2023).

She has also acted on stage, including starring in Boleros for the Disenchanted (2009) and My Antonia.

Personality, Values & Creative Philosophy

Lela Loren often speaks about the tension between ambition and authenticity. She is willing to acknowledge insecurity, struggles, and the demands of a creative life. For instance, she has said:

“Professional creativity requires more than inspiration, talent, and discipline — it requires an endurance that few are aware of and even fewer have.”

She also says:

“I am — since I was a child — curious about everything. I like to look at how things work and why people are the way they are.”

She speaks on what it means to take an artistic path with awareness of risk:

“The thing is, if you're going to take the artistic path, you sort of have to make peace with the idea or the possibility that you may never make any money or get any acknowledgment or accolades for what you're doing.”

In an interview, she also reflects on the roles of women, culture, and how she wants her art to be respectful and truthful:

“When I was unemployed, I hosted lots of dinner parties. Now I have time to make a pot of soup for the week — if I'm lucky!” “Everybody has their own agenda, and that makes Power a dark world. There aren’t any really clean characters.”

Loren also values cultural authenticity. Though she identifies as American, she embraces her Mexican heritage and strives for nuance in representation.

Famous Quotes & Excerpts

Here are several quotes attributed to Lela Loren, drawn from interviews, public statements, and quote collections:

• “Now, everyone has their talents, but working with props is not one of mine.”

• “Usually we have pick-up shots to film after all the main work is done; sometimes we even do them after our wrap party. Just like when you're packing up and moving, it’s the little things that end up taking the most time, and there is no romance in the clean up.”

• “I am — since I was a child — curious about everything. I like to look at how things work and why people are the way they are.”

• “The thing is, if you’re going to take the artistic path, you sort of have to make peace with the idea or the possibility that you may never make any money or get any acknowledgment or accolades for what you’re doing.”

• “I don’t feel like I’ve ever subscribed to the stereotypical notion of success. I’ve always equated success with having integrity, conducting yourself with compassion and honesty, and following your heart despite whether or not you ever make any money at it.”

These quotes reflect her values: curiosity, resilience, integrity, and acceptance of risk.

Lessons & Reflections from Lela Loren’s Journey

1. Embrace uncertainty
   Her path reminds us that creative careers often include financial and emotional risk. Accepting that is part of the growth.

2. Define success on your own terms
   For Loren, success is not simply fame or wealth, but acting with compassion, honest self-expression, and integrity.

3. Persist through the early years
   Her “paying dues” with small TV roles illustrates how many creative professionals progress gradually.

4. Stay curious and observant
   Her lifelong curiosity about people, systems, and how things work fuels deeper performances and insight.

5. Honor identity while expanding roles
   Being of mixed heritage, Loren shows that one can play across identities while still respecting cultural specificity and authenticity.

Conclusion

Lela Loren is more than a television actress — she is someone whose public voice carries nuance, humility, and reflection. Her career trajectory, from small TV parts to leading roles and choosing art that matters to her, offers insight into the creative life.

Her quotations and interviews read like passages from a memoir-in-progress, revealing her motivations, doubts, and convictions. If you’d like, I can compile a deeper list of her interviews, more quotes, or analyze a particular role (e.g. Power or Altered Carbon) through her perspective.