Bianca Lawson

Bianca Lawson (born March 20, 1979) is an American actress. Lawson is known for her regular roles in the television series Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Goode Behavior, Pretty Little Liars, and Rogue. She has also had recurring roles in the series Sister, Sister, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Steve Harvey Show, Dawson's Creek, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, The Vampire Diaries, Teen Wolf, and Witches of East End. In 2016, Lawson began starring in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series Queen Sugar.

Early life Lawson was born on March 20, 1979 in Los Angeles. She is the daughter of Denise ( Gordy) and actor Richard Lawson, making her the stepdaughter to Lawson's second ex-wife Tina Knowles, and former step-sister to singers Beyoncé and Solange Knowles. Lawson is also a great-niece of Motown founder Berry Gordy. She attended the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and graduated from Marymount High School, a Catholic school in Los Angeles. She then went on to study film and psychology at University of Southern California. Lawson's parents are both African-American, and she also has Italian, Native American, Portuguese, and Creole ancestry.

Career Lawson began acting at the age of nine, having appeared in commercials for Barbie and Revlon. In 1993, she was cast in the television series Saved by the Bell: The New Class as series regular Megan Jones. She appeared in multiple episodes of The WB sitcoms Sister, Sister as Rhonda Coley and The Steve Harvey Show as Rosalind. In 1996, she co-starred in the UPN sitcom Goode Behavior—which lasted for just one season—as Bianca Goode, the teenage daughter of the titular family. In 1997, she appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer as vampire slayer Kendra Young. In 1999, she appeared in The WB's Dawson's Creek as rival character Nikki Green.

In 2009, Lawson was cast as Shawna in The Secret Life of the American Teenager. That same year, she was cast in the CW television series The Vampire Diaries, as witch Emily Bennett. In December 2009, she was cast as Maya St. Germain in the ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars, based on the book series by Sara Shepard. She appeared in that show from June 2010 through August 2012. Since 2012, she has had a recurring role as Ms. Morell in the MTV television series Teen Wolf, based on the original film from 1985. In 2014, Lawson had a recurring role as Eva in Witches of East End. In 2015, she was cast as series regular Talia Freeman in season three of Rogue.

Lawson has made appearances in two different television miniseries. In 1998, she appeared in The Temptations as Diana Ross (whom Lawson is related to through Ross's daughter Rhonda Ross Kendrick); and in 2001, she was cast as Anna Bella Monroe in Anne Rice's The Feast of All Saints. Some of Lawson's film credits to date include Primary Colors (1998), Save the Last Dance (2001), Bones (2001) and Breakin' All the Rules (2004). Aside from film and television, Lawson provided her voice to the 2011 video game Star Wars: The Old Republic. In 2016, Lawson was cast in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series Queen Sugar, created by Ava DuVernay.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1998 Twice the Fear Girlfriend Video Primary Colors Loretta 2000 Big Monster on Campus Darien Stompanato The Pavilion Mary 2001 Save the Last Dance Nikki Bones Cynthia The Feast of All Saints Anna Bella Monroe TV movie 2004 Dead & Breakfast Kate Breakin' All the Rules Helen Sharp The Pavilion Mary TV movie 2005 Flip the Script Angel 2006 Broken Mia National Lampoon's Pledge This! Monique 2007 Supergator Carla Masters Video 2009 The Killing of Wendy Brooke 2010 Don't Fade Away Alison Johnson 2011 Heavenly Sasha Grant TV movie 2012 All About Christmas Eve Lila TV movie 2014 House of Secrets Julie

Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1993–94 Saved by the Bell: The New Class Megan Jones Main cast: Seasons 1–2 1994 What'z Up? Herself/co-host TV series My So-Called Life Third Bathroom Girl Episode: "Pilot" 1995 Me and the Boys Girl Episode: "The Age of Reason" In the House Rachel Episode: "The Final Cut" 1995–96 Sister, Sister Rhonda Coley Recurring cast: season 3 1996–97 Goode Behavior Bianca Goode Main cast 1997 Smart Guy Shirley Episode: "Baby, It's You and You and You" The Parent 'Hood Jasmine Episode: "Zaria Peterson's Day Off" & "Bad Rap" 1997–98 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Kendra Young Recurring cast: Season 2 1998 Silk Stalkings Renee Episode: "Rage" The Steve Harvey Show Rosalind Recurring cast: season 2 The Temptations Diana Ross Episode: "Episode #1.1 & #1.2" 1999 Smart Guy Tracy Episode: "It Takes Two" 1999–2000 Dawson's Creek Nikki Green Recurring cast: season 3 2001 Strong Medicine Esperenza Maldonaldo Episode: "Control Group" 2002 For the People Asia Portman Episode: "Textbook Perfect" Haunted Brandi Combs Episode: "Blind Witness" 2003 Loose Lips Herself TV series documentary 2004 The Division Marilynn Resiser Episode: "Play Ball" The Big House Angela Episode: "Almost Touched by an Angel" Fearless Harmony Kaye Episode: "Pilot" 2006 Living in TV Land Herself Episode: "Sherman Hemsley" 2008 The Cleaner Jeannie Episode: "Meet the Joneses" & "The Eleventh Hour" 2009 Bones Albie Episode: "Fire in the Ice" The Secret Life of the American Teenager Shawna Recurring cast: Season 1 2009–14 The Vampire Diaries Emily Bennett Recurring cast: season 1–2, 5 2010 Nikita Emily Robinson Episode: "The Guardian" 2010–12 Pretty Little Liars Maya St. Germain Main cast: season 1-2, recurring cast: Season 3 2011 American Horror Story Abby Episode: "Pilot" 2012 Beauty & the Beast Lafferty Episode: "Trapped" 2 Broke Girls Stacy Episode: "And the Silent Partner" 2012–14 Teen Wolf Marin Morrell Recurring cast: Season 2–3 2013 Good Day L.A. Herself TV series 2014 Wolf Watch Herself Episode: "Episode #1.8" Witches of East End Eva/Selina Recurring cast: Season 2 2015 Chicago P.D. Kylie Rosales Episode: "We Don't Work Together Anymore" Rogue Talia Freeman Main cast: season 3 2016–22 Queen Sugar Darla Recurring cast: season 1, main cast: season 2–7

Video games

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Title Result Refs 2001 Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie: Fight Scene (shared with Julia Stiles) Save the Last Dance 2018 Black Reel Awards for Television Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama SeriesQueen Sugar 2022 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series 2023 NAACP Image Awards