La La Anthony's Parents Maintain Separate Lives & Receive Continued Support from Their Star Daughter
La La Anthony's parents may not grace the spotlight as much as their daughter, but they've showered the actress with loving praises online and expressed pride in the woman she has become. Despite their separation, they continue to be a part of her life.
La La Anthony drew her first breath in Brooklyn, New York, on June 25, 1983. She joined the entertainment industry as a teenage hostess for the MTV show "Direct Effect" in 2000. Not long after, she was landing film roles in movies like "Two Can Play That Game" and "Urban Massacre."
She would also appear in music videos and take brief parts in TV shows, such as "Sex and The City," "CSI: NY," and "One on One." In 2012, she portrayed what would become her breakout role as Sonia in "Think Like a Man," alongside a star-studded cast.
La La Anthony (R) and her mother, Carmen Surillo, are pictured at the STARZ 'Power' Season Four Premiere at The Newseum on June 8, 2017, in Washington, DC | Source: Getty Images
The actress, writer, and producer reprised this role in 2014's "Think Like a Man Too" with Kevin Hart, Meagan Good, and Taraji P. Henson. La La is also recognized as part of the main cast in "Power," opposite Omari Hardwick and Joseph Sikora. She also played Delina Michaels in the crime series "Unforgettable" between 2015 and 2016.
She was born to Carmen Surillo and Samuel Vazquez, who gave the Hollywood star her biracial identity. She is of Black and Puerto Rican descent and is proud. Little about Carmen and Samuel's relationship is known, but they remain a part of their daughter's life.
La La Vasquez and her mother, Carmen Surillo, pose during The 2004 Source Awards at James E. Knight Theater in Miami, Florida | Source: Getty Images
La La Anthony's Parents Don't Live Together
The exact timing of La La's parents' separation remains unclear, but her father has since entered a relationship with Joanna Vasquez. Joanna has appeared frequently on his Facebook page since 2014.
She often shares affectionate and playful photos with Samuel, showcasing their loving and goofy relationship. Their pictures often show them smiling wide on holiday or sporting playful animal-inspired onesies in their home.
In a 2016 post, where Samuel humorously posed with Joanna in a Superman onesie, he wrote, "Day 2 of the love challenge. We share a certain goofiness that not many people understand. The bottom line is we share a love of life."
Samuel added that he and his "beautiful wife" also believed in having fun. The following year, on October 18, Samuel celebrated his wedding anniversary with Joanna. However, how long they've been married remains unknown.
As for La La's mother, she, too, has an active social media presence. Still, Carmen doesn't post about her love life online. Her Instagram timeline is mainly filled with photos from the public events she attends alongside La La and appreciation posts for her daughter.
In August 2019, she shared a photo of herself, her daughter, and 50 Cent on the set of "Good Morning America," telling her followers she would be at the "Power" premiere later that night.
She had also accompanied La La to VH1's Dear Mama event two years before. It was a family affair, as her grandson, Kiyan Anthony, was also in attendance.
La La Anthony's Parents Continue to Support Their Star Daughter and Grandson Kiyan
La La's father has yet to forget to celebrate her birthday with heartwarming tributes on his FB page. "Happy birthday to my beautiful, intelligent, hard working and all around amazing daughter! I love you with all my heart!" he gushed in 2017.
That year in December, he also wrote, "My beautiful daughter works so hard and deserves all the accolades she gets!" The star's mother has also shown love on her daughter's special day over the years and has extended that affection to Kiyan, who turned 16 in March 2023.
And while Carmen and Samuel have consistently supported La La, the star hasn't fallen short of gratitude. In June 2016, she honored her father with a sweet Father's Day tribute, and she once called her mother a "safe place," in a heartwarming Mother's Day appreciation post.