The Timeless Quality of Lorena McGregor

Preparation is ideal but not always enough. When actress Lorena McGregor was called to audition for her recent role as Antonia in Don Quixote, a confusion in the process led to her preparing different scenes than those set for the audition. Excusing herself for mere moments to step out and memorize the new sides, she proceeded to wow everyone in the room and cinch the part. Of course it didn’t hurt that she received a personal recommendation from actor/director Diego Luna when Oscar nominate actor/producer/director James Franco inquired about Lorena for Don Quixote. McGregor worked with the Luna directed Cesar Chavez ALMA award-winning film alongside Michael Pena, America Ferrera, and Rosario Dawson and had earned the respect of the Hollywood film community for her portrayal of Sylvia Chavez. Don Quixote offered the young actress the opportunity to play a role in this modern production of a classic novel and film.

Carmen Argenziano appears in the film’s title role with Lorena as his niece and primary caretaker Antonia. Based on the novel of Miguel de Cervantes. It follows through the adventures Quixote puts himself through. As the only family member Quixote has left, it is thanks to Antonia that he is able to come back home safe. Quixote loses his mind and pursues dangerous and crazy adventures. Antonia undertakes her own quest, determined to bring her uncle back home safe and sound. She’s a sassy and brazen young woman out of necessity. Dealing with the likes of Don Quixote requires one to be determined and decisive. Fear isn’t part of her vocabulary and being devoted to the care of his uncle was Antonia’s default profession. That’s not to presume that the character is in any way one-dimensional. McGregor relates, “Antonia was truly interesting to portray as there were layers of emotions. One of the characters [Miguel] is completely in love with her and he does everything he can to get her attention and love. As he tries to be sweet and romantic, there is this playfulness that Antonia is constantly trying to ignore. There are moments where, despite the dangerous circumstances, she shows a fun and youthful side. Even her rejection of Miguel isn’t plain and simple. She wasn’t rejecting him because he wasn’t good enough or because she was trying to play hard to get; rather she was doing it because she had higher priorities. As a very feminist character for her day, she decided to put aside romantic encounters which seemed nonsense compared to her objective of bringing her uncle home safely.”

With Franco [Posamonte], Luis Guzman [farmer], Horatio Sanz [Sancho Panza], Vera Cherny [Dulcinea], and McGregor, the film offers a notable and recognizable cast. For those unfamiliar with the tale, it also offers arcs of drama to ridiculous comedy. Antonia is beside herself as Don Quixote is taken away to prison and fearless looking for Sancho Panza in an Inn full of prostitutes and drunks. Lorena stipulates, “I feel so lucky that I got to take on this classic role. Playing Antonia was a very fun experience not only because of the people I worked with like Reynaldo Zavarce, Horatio Sanz, Vera Cherny, James Franco, carmen Argenziano but because the role was so juicy, it has so many shades to it that it never got dull. Working on set is an experience on its own that always brings many lessons. As an actor you have to be able to adapt all the time because every new project brings new people, strangers that you have to work with and sometimes you get to work with people you don’t like, or sometimes you have the luck to work with incredible people. I had the luck to work with amazing supportive people, we were all on the same boat and that brings so much quality unto the work. I think that apart from the fortune of working on material like this, something I will never forget is the people I worked with.”