Martin Lawrence's Real Name: Martin Lawrence

Quick answer: The comedian works under his own name, Martin Lawrence. Encyclopaedia Britannica and Biography.com both give his birth date as April 16, 1965, in Frankfurt, West Germany. Britannica lists the longer form Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence, and a Library of Congress record has Martin F. Lawrence, but Biography.com gives his full name simply as Martin Lawrence.

Real name and early life

Britannica says he was born on April 16, 1965, in Frankfurt am Main, West Germany, where his father, a U.S. Air Force serviceman, was stationed, and lists Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence as another form of his name. Biography.com independently gives the same date and Frankfurt birthplace and lists his "full name" as Martin Lawrence. The Library of Congress authority file records Martin F. Lawrence with the same date.

Britannica says the family soon returned to the United States and settled in Landover, Maryland. Biography.com says his father served in the military and left the family when Lawrence was 8, that he boxed as a teenager, and that a teacher encouraged him to try an open-mic night. Britannica says he turned to stand-up after high school and briefly worked at a Sears call center alongside members of Salt-N-Pepa and Kid 'n Play.

Career highlights

Britannica says he appeared on Star Search in 1986 without winning and then landed a recurring role on What's Happening Now!! Both sources list early film roles in House Party (1990) and Boomerang (1992), and Britannica adds Do the Right Thing (1989). Both say he hosted HBO's Def Comedy Jam; Britannica dates his run to 1992–93.

Both sources say his Fox sitcom Martin began in 1992 and ended in 1997. Biography.com says he played disc jockey Martin Payne and characters including Mama Payne and Sheneneh Jenkins, and Britannica says he often played supporting roles in prosthetics or drag. Britannica credits him with popularising the greeting "wassup?"

Both sources say his first major film lead came opposite Will Smith in Bad Boys (1995). Britannica says he starred in, wrote, and directed A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) and lists Nothing to Lose (1997) and Life (1999), with Eddie Murphy. Both name Big Momma's House (2000) and its sequels from 2006 and 2011, Bad Boys II (2003), Wild Hogs (2007), and the reunion Bad Boys for Life (2020). Biography.com adds Death at a Funeral (2010) and the short-lived sitcom Partners, co-starring Kelsey Grammer.

Name notes for searchers

People looking up Martin Lawrence, Martin F. Lawrence, or Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence are looking for the same comedian. Martin Payne is his sitcom character, not his name.