Sharon Lawrence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sharon Lawrence
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Lawrence in 2013
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| Born |
Sharon Elizabeth Lawrence
June 29, 1961 |
| 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 on June 29, 1961, is a talented American actress. She is well-known for her role as Sylvia Costas in the TV drama series NYPD Blue, which she played from 1993 to 1999. Her acting in this show earned her several important awards nominations.
After NYPD Blue, Sharon Lawrence continued to act in many other TV shows. These included sitcoms like Fired Up and Ladies Man. She also appeared in dramas such as Wolf Lake and Hidden Palms. More recently, she has had recurring roles in popular series like Desperate Housewives, Drop Dead Diva, Rizzoli & Isles, The Ranch, Shameless, and Queen Sugar. In 2021, she starred in the Western series Joe Pickett.
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About Sharon Lawrence's Early Life and School
Sharon Lawrence was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. When she was in high school, she moved to Raleigh and finished her studies at Needham B. Broughton High School. She then went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1983, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the university.
Sharon Lawrence's Acting Journey
Sharon Lawrence started her acting career on Broadway, which is a famous theater district in New York City. Her first Broadway show was Cabaret in 1987. She also performed in Fiddler on the Roof in 1990.
Becoming a TV Star
In the early 1990s, Sharon Lawrence appeared in several TV movies and series, including Cheers and Star Trek: Voyager. Her big break came in 1993 when she was cast as Assistant District Attorney Sylvia Costas in the ABC police drama NYPD Blue. Her performance was highly praised, and she received three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She also won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 1996 for her work on the show.
In 1996, she left NYPD Blue for a short time to star in her own comedy series called Fired Up on NBC. After two seasons, that show ended, and she returned to NYPD Blue. Her character left the show in 1999.
Later TV and Film Roles
After NYPD Blue, Sharon Lawrence continued to be very busy. She starred with Betty White in the sitcom Ladies Man from 1999 to 2001. She also played Velma Kelly in the Broadway musical Chicago in 2000. From 2001 to 2002, she had a main role in the CBS drama Wolf Lake.
In movies, she appeared in Gossip (2000), Little Black Book (2004), and The Alibi (2006). She also guest-starred in many popular TV shows throughout the 2000s. These included Desperate Housewives, where she played Maisy Gibbons, and other shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Boston Legal, Monk, and The Mentalist.
In 2009, Sharon Lawrence was nominated for another Emmy Award for her guest role as Izzie Stevens' mother on Grey's Anatomy. She also played a recurring role as Sylvia Baker on One Tree Hill from 2010 to 2011. From 2009 to 2013, she played the lead character's mother in the Lifetime comedy-drama Drop Dead Diva. She also played the birth mother of Dr. Maura Isles in the TNT series Rizzoli & Isles.
More recently, Sharon Lawrence has continued to appear in many TV series. In 2017, she starred in the CBS comedy Me, Myself and I. She also had recurring roles in Queen Sugar and The Ranch in the same year. From 2016 to 2019, she played Margo Mierzejewski in the Showtime series Shameless. She also appeared in Dynasty and On Becoming a God in Central Florida.
In 2021, she had roles in Punky Brewster and Rebel. Her most recent major role was as Missy in the Paramount+ series Joe Pickett, which she starred in from 2021 to 2023.
Sharon Lawrence's Personal Life
In 2002, Sharon Lawrence married 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, got married in NYPD Blue.
Sharon Lawrence also enjoys playing poker and has participated in the World Poker Tour. She supports charities, including benefits for the Alzheimer's Association and the John Wayne Breast Cancer Center.
Awards and Recognitions
Sharon Lawrence has been recognized for her acting with several awards and nominations throughout her career.
- She received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her role in NYPD Blue.
- She won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 1995 for her part in the NYPD Blue cast.
- In 2007, she won the Best Actress award at the Method Fest Independent Film Festival for her movie Fool Me Once.
- She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2009 for her guest role in Grey's Anatomy.
- In 2017, she received the Outstanding Performance Award at the USA Film Festival for her short film Home.
- She was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 2021 for her role in the web series The Gaze: No Homo.
- In 2022, she received a Children's and Family Emmy Award nomination for her guest performance in Punky Brewster.
See also
In Spanish: Sharon Lawrence para niños
