Actress Lana Parrilla, best known for
playing The Evil Queen, Regina Mills, on the ABC series Once Upon
A Time, believes more
celebrities should speak out in favor of gay rights.
“I
have a lot of LGBT friends and family members and I've always
supported the community, not only as a child but as an adult, and I
think it's important to voice that,” Parrilla, 35, told The
Huffington Post.
“I think right
now is the most important time for celebrities and everyone to stand
up and not only vote, but use their voice,” she said. “Our
president is the first one who has come forward in history who
supports this community.”
“I
think every celebrity needs to get involved and speak up,” she
added.
Parrilla
also talked gay rights as the keynote speaker at the Human Rights
Campaign's (HRC) 19th
annual Cleveland Gala held at Cleveland State University's The
Wolstein Center last month. She told the crowd that her older cousin
was gay and that her family had a hard time accepting his sexuality.
“He married and
has 2 children,” Parrilla said. “And my entire family is
actively involved in their lives.”