Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence was born on April 16, 1965, in Frankfort, Germany, to American parents. Lawrence was named after Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. His family returned to the United States when he was seven years old and settled in Landover, Maryland. His parents divorced in 1973. After that, he rarely saw his father. Lawrence attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School and Friendly High School.
Lawrence began his career performing standup comedy in the Greater Washington, D.C. Metro Area. He supported himself by working odd jobs during the day. Ritch Snyder, a comedian, saw Lawrence’s standup routine one night and encouraged him to try out for the New York City comedy scene.
Lawrence relocated to New York City and began performing at the Improv. Soon after, he appeared on the talent show “Star Search.” He reached the final round but did not win “Star Search.”
However, after seeing Lawrence on “Star Search,” television executives cast him in his first acting role on “What’s Happening Now!!.” Lawrence continued to appear in small roles in films and television after that show was canceled. His big break came when he appeared in “Do the Right Thing.” He was chosen to host “Def Comedy Jam” in 1992. At the same time, Lawrence was starring in his own sitcom, “Martin,” on Fox. The series aired from 1992 to 1997.
Martin Lawrence was barred from ever again hosting “Saturday Night Live” after making crude remarks about women’s personal hygiene and genitalia in his monologue on February 19, 1994. Reruns of that episode were edited to remove the monologue.
Lawrence went on to appear in comedy films as the second lead after “Martin” ended in 1997. Lawrence’s most well-known film is the “Bad Boys” series, in which he co-stars with Will Smith. The first movie came out in 1995, the second in 2003, and the third in 2020.
How many kids does Martin Lawrence have with his ex-wife?
Lawrence and his ex-wife Shamicka Gibbs have two daughters, Iyanna and Amara.