Scott Lawrence

Scott Lawrence was born in Los Angeles, where his early years were profoundly shaped by his parents' commitment to civil rights activism. His father was the executive director of the University of Southern California's Community Services Center, while his mother dedicated her efforts to organizations like Operation Breadbasket, focusing on enhancing economic opportunities for Black communities. After two years studying electrical engineering at USC, Scott's passion for performance ignited when he attended a friend's acting class. He promptly auditioned for the university's Bachelor of Fine Arts acting conservatory, restarting his academic journey and graduating in 1986.

In 1987, Scott secured his Screen Actors Guild card with a role in the film "Punchline." He subsequently appeared in various equity waiver plays and landed guest roles on television. His first major television role came as Whoopi Goldberg's son in the short-lived series "Bagdad Cafe," which aired until 1990. Seeking to immerse himself in theater, he relocated to New York City, where he participated in off-Broadway productions and was invited to join the prestigious Drama Department Theatre Company, performing in Tennessee Williams' "Kingdom of Earth" alongside Cynthia Nixon and Peter Sarsgaard.

A highlight of Scott's career was being cast as Walter Lee in Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun," under the direction of Lloyd Richards at Ford's Theater in 1995. After returning to Los Angeles in 1998, he gained recognition on CBS's "First Monday," leading to the creation of the role of 'Cmdr. Sturgis Turner' on the hit series "JAG," which he portrayed from 2000 to 2004. His film credits include notable projects like "The Social Network" and James Cameron's "Avatar," with upcoming appearances in J.J. Abrams' next "Star Trek" film and "The Host." Scott is also a devoted father to two sons, Morgan and Daniel.