Sharon Lawrence and Joey Lawrence are both well-known actors who have appeared in many popular TV shows and movies. But are they related by blood or marriage? The answer is no, they are not. Despite sharing the same last name, they have no familial connection whatsoever. Here is what you need to know about the two Lawrences and their careers.
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Sharon Lawrence: From Journalism to Acting
Sharon Lawrence was born on June 29, 1961, in Charlotte, North Carolina. She moved to Raleigh in her junior year of high school and graduated from Needham B. Broughton High School. She then attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism in 1983.
Lawrence began her acting career on Broadway in the 1987 revival of Cabaret. She also performed in Fiddler on the Roof in 1990. She made her TV debut in 1988 with a guest role on Star Trek: The Next Generation. She also appeared on Cheers, Civil Wars, and Beverly Hills, 90210.
Lawrence’s breakthrough role came in 1993 when she was cast as Assistant District Attorney Sylvia Costas on the ABC police drama series NYPD Blue. She received critical acclaim and three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her performance. She left the show in 1996 to star in her own comedy series Fired Up, but returned as a regular until her character was killed off in 1999.
Lawrence continued to work on both stage and screen, starring in the Broadway musical Chicago as Velma Kelly in 2000, and the CBS supernatural drama Wolf Lake in 2001. She also had notable recurring roles on Desperate Housewives, Drop Dead Diva, Rizzoli & Isles, The Ranch, Shameless, and Queen Sugar. Her film credits include Gossip, Little Black Book, The Alibi, Middle of Nowhere, and Solace. In 2021, she began starring in the Paramount+ neo-Western series Joe Pickett.
Joey Lawrence: A Child Star Turned Singer and Host
Joey Lawrence was born on April 20, 1976, in Abington, Pennsylvania. He is the son of Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Sr., an insurance broker, and Donna Lynn Shaw, a personnel manager and former school teacher. He has two younger brothers, Matthew and Andrew, who are also actors. His family changed their surname to Lawrence during his childhood.
Lawrence started acting at the age of five, landing his first role in a Cracker Jack commercial. He also performed on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, singing and tap dancing. He then appeared on Diff’rent Strokes and Silver Spoons before landing his first regular role as Joey Donovan on the NBC sitcom Gimme a Break! in 1983. He stayed on the show until it ended in 1987.
Lawrence made his film debut in Summer Rental in 1985, playing John Candy’s son. He also voiced Oliver in the Disney animated film Oliver & Company in 1988. His most famous role came in 1991 when he co-starred as Joey Russo on the NBC sitcom Blossom. He also launched his music career with his debut album Joey Lawrence in 1993, which spawned the hit single “Nothin’ My Love Can’t Fix”.
Lawrence went on to star in several other TV shows and movies, such as Brotherly Love (with his real-life brothers), Urban Legends: Final Cut, Run of the House, American Dreams, CSI: NY, Rest Stop, My Fake Fiancé (with Melissa Joan Hart), and Hawaii Five-0. He also competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2006, placing third with his partner Edyta Śliwińska. He later starred with Melissa Joan Hart again on the ABC Family sitcom Melissa & Joey from 2010 to 2015.
Lawrence has also ventured into hosting and producing. He hosted the dance competition show Master of Dance on TLC in 2008 and the game show Splash on ABC in 2013. He also produced and starred in several TV movies for Lifetime and Hallmark Channel, such as Hitched for the Holidays, Girlfriends of Christmas Past, Christmas Reservations, and Pardoned by Grace.
Conclusion
Sharon Lawrence and Joey Lawrence are both successful actors who have been in the entertainment industry for decades. However, they are not related by blood or marriage. They just happen to share a common surname that they both adopted during their childhoods. They have never worked together or crossed paths professionally or personally. They are simply two Lawrences who have nothing to do with each other.
