Actress Bianca Lawson has enjoyed a stellar acting career so, making a name for herself despite being the child of famous parents and the stepdaughter of Tina Knowles.
It all happened in 2015, when Bianca, a former "Saved by the Bell" star, became the stepsister of one of the biggest and most influential artists in the history of the music industry - Beyoncé.
While she may not be as famous as the singer, the 42-year-old is quite talented and already has a long list of appearances in successful projects, both on television and on the big screen.
Bianca Lawson at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations screening of "Queen Sugar" at SAG-AFTRA Foundation Screening Room in Los Angeles, California | Photo: Vincent Sandoval/Getty Images
PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE
Bianca's got her breakthrough in 1994 in "Saved by the Bell: The New Class," where she portrayed Megan Jones, having appeared on "My So-Called Life" earlier that year.
Her talent was undeniable and she soon found herself getting parts in "Sister, Sister," "The Steve Harvey Show," "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer," "Dawson's Creek," and Emily Deschanel's "Bones."
Bianca Lawson as Maya St. Germain in "Pretty Little Liars" | Photo: Randy Holmes/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Family via Getty Images
The daughter of Denise Gordy and Richard Lawson, both actors with plenty of experience, she followed in their footsteps and is currently a well-known face in Hollywood, mostly thanks to her roles in "Pretty Little Liars."
The actress was only on the show for 2 years, from 2010 to 2012, but her part as Maya St. Germain will never be forgotten, having starred on 22 episodes of the show based on Sara Shepards' book series.
FOREVER YOUNG
Curiously, at the time Bianca was already 31 years old, which means that she was almost twice the age of the character she was playing, but her youthful looks helped her play St. Germain without an issue.
In 2016, the star played a more mature role in "Queen Sugar," much more mature than her fans have grown used to. However, she claimed that she always looked forward to such a role:
"I really always wanted to play a person like this. I wanted to play something that I had never played before, material that was more mature and deeper."
But Bianca can't deny that her most famous roles so far have been the ones where she plays the part of a teenager and recently admitted that she doesn't know why those have become so popular.
She also reminded fans that not every character she played is a teenager, pointing out Marin Morrel, her part in "Teen Wolf" as an example since the character could have been 100 years old.
According to the 42-year-old, her "ageless career" might have a lot to do with her fans being "obsessed" by the fact that she seems to be aging backward or not aging all.
While she considers it a compliment, Bianca also believes that there is a certain danger when it comes to basing so much on people's looks and that she is aging like everyone else. She added:
"I genuinely believe you're the age you feel. I know people younger than me that are like, 'Why are you living the life of an 80-year-old? You're 20.' Or people that are way older that are living such a youthful life."
Bianca shared that her idea of age is not related to a number, but how someone lives their life, and that as long as they keep having passions and feeling fulfilled, everything is well.
Knowles has also spoken highly of Bianca, referring to her as her "bonus" daughter.
AGAINST IT
As aforementioned, Lawson had a famous upbringing after being born in 1979, in Los Angeles, but although her parents' careers led them to spend quite a lot of time in front of the cameras, they didn't want that for her.
Lawson attended Marymount High School, the same school "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star Kim Kardashian went to, and her parents wanted her to stay clear from the world of show business.
In a 2017 interview, the "Teen Wolf" star revealed her parents wished for her to focus on being a child and keep her head in school, but that she managed to change their minds regarding her acting dreams:
"I wore them down! And it wasn't like they were like, 'Oh yay!' They were just like, 'Oh really Bianca? Do you really want to do this?' And I was like, 'Yes! I want to do this! I have to do this!'"
According to her father, he didn't take her seriously when she first came to him about her intentions to pursue an acting career at the age of six, but eventually came around to the idea, and now he couldn't be prouder of her.
Father and daughter share a very close relationship, so much that every year, on his birthday, the actress pays tribute to the man who brought her into the world through a series of sweet photos.
RICHARD AND TINA
Richard tied the knot with Tina aboard a yacht in Newport Beach, California in 2015, after dating since 2013, and the intimate ceremony was only attended by members of the Knowles-Carter-Lawson clan.
Despite being stepsisters, Bianca and Beyoncé don't have much of a relationship, having only exchanged a few greetings from time to time. But the actress has gotten quite close to her stepmother.
During an appearance on "The Real Daytime," the "Queen Sugar" actress talked a little bit about Tina, describing her as someone very "down to earth," and someone she can chat with all day long about anything.
Tina has also spoken highly of Bianca, referring to her as her "bonus" daughter, and often takes the time to congratulate the actress on every single one of her achievements, no matter how small it may be.
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