What The Forever Purge‘s Ana De La Reguera Is Most Worried About In Quarantine

Summer 2020 should have been a time of celebration for Ana de la Reguera. In April, the Mexican-born actress, who just finished filming Zack Snyder’s Netflix debut Army of the Dead, released her self-titled television series, Ana, which she executive-produced, wrote, and stars in. (The series is available in the U.S. on Lionsgate’s streaming platform Pantaya, both in Spanish and with English subtitles.) She also stars in the fifth and final installment of The Purge film franchise, originally set for release in July but is now pushed back to an as yet undetermined date. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown all the best-laid plans up in the air, and for now, De la Reguera, like so many other women working in the entertainment industry, is staying home. Here’s how she’s navigating this new reality.  

Name: Ana de la Reguera
Profession: Actress
Pronouns: She/Her
Please Support: ONE Children’s Foundation

My industry is paralyzed right now. Some of the projects I was starting to work on are now on hold. The theatrical release of my next movie, The Forever Purge, still has the same July opening date, but that may change because of what’s happening. For writers and creators, now is a great time to develop new material, which I’m actually doing, but the uncertainty of going back to normal plays against us sometimes, I guess. I also want to thank the front-line workers who are working so hard while we’re all staying home.

I’m  grateful for what I have and that my family and I are healthy. I’m also working hard with my charity, ONE Children’s Foundation, to help immigrants impacted by COVID-19 here in Los Angeles and in Tijuana with humanitarian help.  

I’m just trying to have a routine even if I’m alone at home: exercise, complete certain hours of work every day, etc. I just planted a vegetable garden and I’m learning to take care of it, which is my favorite part of the day. I think it’s important to do something fun or special for myself  — whether it’s watching a movie that I’ve never had the time to watch, eating something delicious, or calling a friend and having a fun conversation that has nothing to do with the pandemic.

I’ve been watching lots of documentaries. Lately I’ve watched Dancer, Hillary, The Trials of Gabriel Hernandez, Ask Dr. Ruth, The Game Changers, and The Pharmacist. Bad Bunny’s new single “Yo Perreo Sola” and Residente’s “Rene” are on my playlist on repeat. Jhené Aiko’s new album Chilombo is also really good.

I’m anxious about close family that are going to be affected and Mexican immigrants who won’t have any support during these times. I consume a little bit of local channels, CNN, and foreign press. I’m avoiding too much time watching TV. Instead, I talk to my parents every day —  I just saw them recently so we have been texting mostly — and my sister and I are always in touch.