Early life
Parola was born and raised in New Jersey to a first-generation Liberian and Argentinean family.1 Her mother named her after the legendary Italian actress Sophia Loren.1 She discovered a passion for film and performance at age six, describing television and cinema as a meaningful form of personal expression and, in her own words, "a form of therapy."1
She initially enrolled in college as a Mathematics major but switched within her first year to journalism while also studying theatre.1 She earned an Associate of Arts degree in journalism from Brookdale Community College, where she also hosted for Brookdale TV.1 She later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and television communications from Monmouth University.1
After completing her formal education, Parola pursued additional acting training at several notable New York institutions, including the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, the Neighborhood Playhouse, and Kimball Studio.1 Her stage debut was the role of Isabella in a community college production of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure.1
Career
Parola works across acting, hosting, screenwriting, and directing. She serves as a host for the Garden State Film Festival and has previously hosted for MTVU.1 She is also a certified reiki therapist.1
Her film credits include:
- Canned (2023): played Sherri Greer.2
- Glass Eyes (2023): played Woman.2
- Last Known Location (2024): a crime-drama-thriller directed by Danny Donnelly, in which three women from different walks of life are mysteriously abducted. Parola appears as one of the leads alongside Aimee Theresa and Jennifer M. Kay.3
- Shelby Oaks (2024): a found-footage-style horror film written and directed by YouTube film critic Chris Stuckmann (his feature directorial debut), executive produced by Mike Flanagan, Trevor Macy, and Melinda Nishioka of Intrepid Pictures.45 Parola played News Anchor #5.6 The film had a theatrical US release on October 24, 2025.4
- 93 'Til (2025): played Yannie; also served as executive producer on the production.2
- Meatloaf and Pie at the Sunset Cafe: played Server.2
Beyond film, Parola develops her own projects as a director and screenwriter. She is represented by Chondra Profit at Firestarter Entertainment.1
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024), Parola appeared as Woman (Beach),7 a character featured in the film's Chapter 13 sequence at Coney Island, during which Garraka's Death Chill spreads across New York and beachgoers flee as ice erupts from the shore.8
References
Some content on this page was researched using the Ghostbusters Wiki on Fandom.
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Sophia Lucia Parola official website, "About / Biography" (accessed June 13, 2026), https://www.sophiaparola.com/
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"Sophia Lucia Parola," IMDb (accessed June 13, 2026), https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8169015/
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"Last Known Location (2024)," IMDb (accessed June 13, 2026), https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13783632/
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"Shelby Oaks," Wikipedia (accessed June 13, 2026), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_Oaks
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Deadline, "Chris Stuckmann's Horror Movie 'Shelby Oaks' Adds Mike Flanagan" (May 14, 2024), https://deadline.com/2024/05/chris-stuckmann-horror-movie-shelby-oaks-adds-mike-flanagan-kickstarter-1235901087/
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"Shelby Oaks (2024)," IMDb (accessed June 13, 2026), https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14999684/
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Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024), Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures. End credits: "Woman (beach) - Sophia Lucia Parola."
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Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024), Chapter 13. Garraka's Death Chill reaches Coney Island; beachgoers flee as ice erupts from the shore.
