Actor and comedian Mark Christopher Lawrence shines as the lead in his co-produced project, $TACK$ (STACKS) earning himself a 2021 Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Daytime Fiction Program. Along with his Daytime Emmy nomination, he also received a nomination for a Regional Emmy for his work on The Flourish.
Lawrence has acted in film and TV for decades in popular crime dramas, comedies, and has opened up for comedians like Jerry Seinfeld. Upcoming work includes a role in the highly-anticipated Tyler Perry series All The Queen’s Men, which will premiere on BET+ this summer. But STACKS is a short film that was released during the pandemic.
STACKS is described as a sarcastic plea for every viewer to be responsible for the attitudes, assumptions and judgments buried deep inside themselves. An unprecedented pandemic forces two fierce rivals to come face to face for the first time in over a decade to close a deal on one of the most valuable substances on earth.
Its timely message taunts, teases and dares the audience to discover the film’s hidden twists and clues before their own biases and assumptions lead them down the wrong path. The short film also stars Diahnna Nicole Baxter and Calvin C. Winbush.
Receiving a nomination for a 2021 Pacific Southwest Regional Emmy for his work in narration, The Flourish tells the story of a young girl on a quest to become a famous magician, despite the struggles in her personal life. The short film also won at the San Diego Film Festival for “Best Child Actor.”
With a career spanning over 35 years as an actor and comedian, the Compton, California native’s road to success began in high school when one of his teachers helped get him involved with the debate team.
Immersing himself in forensics competitions and theatre, Lawrence would win the school district’s Literary Olympiad competition and go on to compete at the collegiate level to capture the Bovero-Tabor Award, as the top community college speaker in the country.
While in college, he traveled the nation competing in tournaments. Meanwhile, he was gaining valuable experience in his craft by moonlighting at the Los Angeles Theater Center. There, a Hollywood talent agent noticed his skill and landed Lawrence his first job in television, a role on Hill Street Blues.
After graduating from college in California, Lawrence worked with the San Francisco Mime Troupe while also performing stand-up comedy throughout the United States, Australia, and Canada, opening for major acts, such as Seinfeld and Rodney Dangerfield. Lawrence’s work in live theatre led to a Dramalogue Award for his performance in Reza Abdoh’s, Minimanta.
He won an NAACP award for his work in Ken Davis’ The Glass House in 1990. It was this role that attracted the attention of director, James Cameron, who then cast him as the “burly insane asylum attendant” in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Mark is also known for his work on other hit series including The Island, K-Pax, The Pursuit of Happyness, NBC’s Chuck, and Tales from the Hood.
by Cherryl Bird – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Twitter @ladycbird | Instagram @cherrylbird
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