Life in Film: Martin Lawrence
The comedian turned 50 and we're celebrating his career.
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The Golden Year - Martin Lawrence just celebrated his 50th birthday and in honor of this huge milestone, we've decided to highlight his epic career in film. From Do the Right Thing to Big Momma's House, the actor/comedian has been making us laugh for years.— By Moriba Cummings(Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images)
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Do the Right Thing (1989) - Spike Lee tapped the rising comedian to star in this 1989 film about a neighborhood's racial tension coming to a boil on the hottest day of summer. Do the Right Thing was Lawrence's film debut, but it was just the beginning of a long film career.(Photo: 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks)
Photo By Photo: 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
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House Party (1990) - The actor starred in House Party, another African-American classic, alongside hip hop duo Kid 'n Play, Tisha Campbell-Martin and A.J. Johnson. Lawrence plays the role of Bilal, Kid's wing man who helps bail him out of jail. True friendship, indeed!(Photo: The Hudlin Brothers / The Jackson/McHenry Company / New Line Cinema)
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Talkin' Dirty After Dark (1991) - Lawrence snagged his first starring role in the film Talkin' Dity After Dark alongside John Witherspoon. He played the role of Terry Wilson, a local comic who was broke and struggling to get by. He eventually decided to sleep with his comedy club owner's wife in an attempt to get more recognition. The film, though only showing in select theaters, established a cult following. (Photo: New Line Cinema)
Photo By Photo: New Line Cinema
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Boomerang (1992) - Starring alongside fellow comedy icon Eddie Murphy, Lawrence added his comedic flare to his role of Tyler Hawkins, Murphy's best friend, in Boomerang. The film went on to become one of the biggest successes for them both, solidifying Martin as an A-list entertainer who mastered the fields of film and comedy. (Photo: Paramount Pictures / Imagine Films Entertainment / Eddie Murphy Productions)
Photo By Photo: Paramount Pictures / Imagine Films Entertainment / Eddie Murphy Productions
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Def Comedy Jam (1992-1993) - Lawrence took a brief detour from acting in 1992 to delve into the world of hosting. He served as the host for the popular HBO series Def Comedy Jam from 1992 to 1993, helping launch the careers of several African-American stand-up comics.(Photo: Simmons Lathan Media Group)
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Martin (1992) - Martin Lawrence became a television icon between 1992 and 1997 while starring in his self-titled sitcom alongside Tisha Campbell-Martin. The I Love Lucy-inspired comedy series ran for five seasons and is still considered an African-American television classic today, especially with the various characters he portrayed like Mama Payne, Jerome and Sheneneh.(Photo: You Go Boy! Productions / HBO Independent Productions)
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You So Crazy (1994) - No one does stand-up comedy like this guy. He's that great that he released a film solely of his stand-up material, making it his first major film and stand-up act. Lawrence even paid homage to his friend and fellow comedian Eddie Murphy, wearing a black, leather suit like Murphy wore in his films Delirious and Raw.(Photo: HBO Independent Productions / You So Crazy Productions)
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Bad Boys (1995) - Bad Boys marks one of Martin Lawrence's biggest blockbuster films to date. Teaming up with Will Smith for partnership roles in the 1995 action film, Lawrence played the role of Marcus Burnett, a detective in the narcotics division of the Miami Police Department. He and his best friend and fellow detective (Smith) seek to get to the bottom of an inside job with corrupted police officers.(Photo: Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
Photo By Photo: Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films
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A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) - The gorgeous Lynn Whitfield was Lawrence's main co-star in this 1996 dark comedy-romance. The actor played Darnell Wright, a nightclub manager and notorious playboy who tries to win over Brandi (Whitfield) only to realize that he's in love with someone else — a younger woman! Aside from starring in the film, Lawrence also wrote the screenplay and provided the narration.(Photo: The Jackson/McHenry Company / Savoy Pictures / You Go Boy! Productions)
Photo By Photo: The Jackson/McHenry Company / Savoy Pictures / You Go Boy! Productions
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Life (1999) - Getting back in team mode, Lawrence starred alongside Eddie Murphy again in Life, bringing Bernie Mac and Obba Babatundé on for the ride. Lawrence and Murphy played friends accidentally jailed for murder and sentenced to life. Pure comedy chaos ensued and the movie grossed over $60 million.(Photo: Universal Pictures)
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Big Momma's House (2000) - Before there was Madea, there was Big Momma. Lawrence played the role of Malcolm Turner in this action-comedy, an FBI agent who disguises himself as an elderly woman to protect an attractive federal witness and her son. The film included Nia Long, Terrence Howard and a then relatively unknown Octavia Spencer.(Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation / Regency Enterprises / Runteldat Entertainment / Friendly Productions / Taurus Film / Nina Saxon Film Design)
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Bad Boys II (2003) - When the original is so good, a second installment is pretty much inevitable. Such was the case for Lawrence's 1995 film, Bad Boys. While the sequel did not receive as many positive reviews as the first installment, it managed to perform well at the box office, grossing more than $270 million worldwide.(Photo: Columbia Pictures Corporation / Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
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Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins (2008) - Lawrence played a famous talk show host who makes it big in Los Angeles and returns to his Southern family roots after years of change. Directed by Malcolm D. Lee, the film also starred several other comedy greats including Cedric the Entertainer, Mike Epps and Mo'Nique. (Photo: Universal Pictures / Spyglass Entertainment / Stuber/Parent / IFP MSB)
Photo By Photo: Universal Pictures / Spyglass Entertainment / Stuber/Parent / IFP MSB
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Death at a Funeral (2010) - Since it was produced by Chris Rock, it was pretty much expected that Death at a Funeral would be a kicker. Films about death aren't usually funny, but when Lawrence and Rock are involved, the all-star comedy hit a home run. (Photo: Screen Gems / Sidney Kimmel Entertainment / Wonderful Films See / Parabolic Pictures Inc. / Stable Way Entertainment)