Sharon Lawrence facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sharon Lawrence
Lawrence in 2013
Born	Sharon Elizabeth Lawrence (1961-06-29) June 29, 1961 (age 63) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Education	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1987–present
Spouse(s)	Tom Apostle ​ (m. 2002)​

Sharon Elizabeth Lawrence (born June 29, 1961) is an American actress. She is well-known for her role as Sylvia Costas in the ABC drama series NYPD Blue. She played this character from 1993 to 1999.

Her work on NYPD Blue earned her three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress. She also received three more Emmy nominations for other TV roles. Sharon Lawrence has appeared in many TV shows and movies. Some of her notable TV roles include Desperate Housewives, Drop Dead Diva, and Shameless.

Early life and education

Sharon Lawrence was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. She moved to Raleigh during her high school years. She then graduated from Needham B. Broughton High School.

After high school, she went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1983, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism.

Career

Sharon Lawrence started her acting career on Broadway in 1987. Her first big role was in the musical Cabaret. In 1990, she also performed in Fiddler on the Roof.

In the early 1990s, she appeared in several TV shows and movies. These included popular shows like Cheers and Star Trek: Voyager. In 1993, she got the part of Assistant District Attorney Sylvia Costas. This was for the ABC police drama series NYPD Blue.

Her performance on NYPD Blue was highly praised. She was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series three times. This was between 1993 and 1996. She also won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in 1996.

In 1996, she left NYPD Blue to star in her own comedy series. This show was called Fired Up on NBC. The series ran for two seasons before it was canceled. She later returned to NYPD Blue as a regular cast member. She left the show again in 1999 when her character was written off.

Lawrence then starred with Betty White and Alfred Molina. This was in the sitcom Ladies Man from 1999 to 2001. In 2000, she played Velma Kelly in the Broadway musical Chicago. She also had a regular role in the CBS supernatural drama Wolf Lake from 2001 to 2002.

She also appeared in several films. These included Gossip (2000) and Little Black Book (2004).

Lawrence with Lorraine Toussaint and Emayatzy Corinealdi at an event for Middle of Nowhere in 2012

During the 2000s, Lawrence made guest appearances on many TV shows. These included Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Boston Legal, and Monk. She also starred in the TV movie Atomic Twister. She had a regular role on the CW teen drama Hidden Palms in 2007.

In 2009, Lawrence was nominated for another Emmy Award. This was for her guest role as Izzie Stevens' mother on Grey's Anatomy. From 2009 to 2013, she played the lead character's mother in the Lifetime show Drop Dead Diva. She also played the birth mother of Dr. Maura Isles in Rizzoli & Isles.

In recent years, Sharon Lawrence has acted in many independent films. In 2017, she starred in the CBS comedy series Me, Myself and I. She also had a recurring role in the drama series Queen Sugar. She co-starred with Sam Elliott in the Netflix comedy The Ranch. From 2016 to 2019, she played Margo Mierzejewski in Shameless.

In 2021, Lawrence had recurring roles in Punky Brewster and Rebel. She later starred in the Paramount+ neo-Western series Joe Pickett.

Personal life

In 2002, Sharon Lawrence married Dr. Tom Apostle. Their wedding took place at the Greek Orthodox church Saint Sophia in Los Angeles. This was the same church where her character, Sylvia Costas, married Detective Andy Sipowicz in NYPD Blue.

Lawrence has also played in the World Poker Tour. She has performed in charity events for the Alzheimer's Association. These events include Night at Sardi's and the What A Pair show. These shows raise money for the John Wayne Breast Cancer Center.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Sharon Lawrence para niños