We recently connected with Regina González and have shared our conversation below.

Regina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I have worked on so far has been a production of The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov that the theater company,The Chekhovians, took to Chiavenna, Italy. There were many details that made this project so memorable. First of all, it was the first project of my career that required me, not only to travel, but to travel to Italy, a country I had never visited before and that I fell in love with. The landscapes were stunning, the food was delicious and the people were so welcoming and kind. Since we came with a NYC based theater company, the production was in English with subtitles in Italian projected above us, which was something completely new to me, but the audience found it very interesting and special. Also, I had the pleasure of playing Dunyasha, the maid of the estate, who I found a very colorful character to play. She’s dramatic, romantic, hopeful and unapologetically sensitive. I, myself, find it very hard to express everything I feel so freely, so in the moment and without the fear of being rejected, which made the process of playing her very hard, but liberating at the same time. Finally, a few friends who I went to The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute with were part of the production as well, which made the entire experience even more special because we got to work together again and quickly created an environment of trust, and I ended up becoming great friends with the rest of the cast I didn’t know personally before starting the rehearsal process.

Regina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a Mexican actress based in NYC. I was born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco (the land where tequila comes from), where I began my career as a theater actor with Spanish-language productions of The Lion King and Hairspray. In 2021, I decided to move to New York to attend The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute where I was the recipient of two full scholarships, the Eleonora Duse Scholarship and the Vincent D’Onofrio Award, which gave me the opportunity to successfully complete the the two-year conservatory. After graduating, my work has broadened significantly as a Latin American actor, having participated in film and theater productions both in English and in Spanish. As a screenwriter, my work focuses on themes like female empowerment, the relationship between cause and consequence and the environment of dreams. Last year, the short-film that I co-wrote and starred in, Ember Alert, won an Award of Recognition at the Accolade Global Film Competition in the category of Social justice/Protest and was nominated for Best Screenplay at the Strasberg Film Festival 2023. Most recently, I just came back to the city after performing in a production of The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov in Chiavenna, Italy, and I’m excited to keep auditioning and having the opportunity to meet more talented and inspiring artists. Outside of my work in the arts, I also love reading, trying new food, taking care of dogs, and I’m a teacher, having taught and assisted teachers for several years.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me is having the opportunity of telling powerful stories that make people feel things. I once was told by a former teacher that people love going to the theater because, even though you’re in a room full of strangers, there’s a sense of community, there you will never cry alone or laugh alone, there the personal feelings become universal. If people don’t remember what you did, they will definitely remember how you made them feel. For our last show of The Cherry Orchard, our director told us that an elder woman that came to see it was actually celebrating her 90th birthday that day, and she loved it. When I hear stories like these, it makes all the hard work and resilience that you have to have in this industry be worth it, knowing that the show or the film you participated in became a memorable experience not only for us as actors, but also, for the audience.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

As an actor, my main goal is to keep working on being my most free and authentic self every time I’m on stage or shoot a film. I’m on the right path, but it takes a lot of practice and time, and it’s so amazing and magical what happens when you find yourself having a truly vulnerable and genuine moment in front of an audience or a camera. Also, even though I’m focused on my acting at the moment, I’m also a writer. And another big goal of mine is to make my movies, most of my stories are based on my dreams, experiences or the people I love, and nothing would make me happier than to see those ideas come to life.

Contact Info:

• Website: regina-gonzalez.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reginaglezc/

Image Credits
Headshots by: Pamela Torres.