Martin Lawrence is an American actor and comedian with an estimated net worth of $110 million. Lawrence is popularly known for portraying Detective Mike Lowry in the Bad Boys movie franchise alongside co-star Will Smith as Detective Sergeant Marcus Burnett.
According to online reports, Martin was paid $6 million in his first role as Detective Mike. As of then, Lawrence was known for his reputation, gaining an extra $4 million as opposed to Will, who was paid $2 million.
As the franchise progressed, particularly in Bad Boys 2, Lawrence was paid $20 million this time, matching Will Smith, who also got paid the same amount.
When Bad Boys for Life finally came out, Lawerence was paid $6 million for reprising his role as Detective Mike Lowry. Adding all three films together, Lawrence was paid $32 million.
Profile Summary
| Birth Name | Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence |
| Age | 59 years old |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | April 16, 1965 |
| Place of Birth | Frankfurt, West Germany |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Occupation | Actor & Stand-up Comedian |
| Height | 5’7″ 171 cm 1.71 m |
| Weight | 75 Kg 165.3 lbs |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Parents | Father: John Lawrence Mother: Chlora Lawrence |
| Sibling | Ursula Lawrence Rae Proctor Robert Lawrence |
| Ex-Wives | Patricia Southall (m. 1995; div. 1997) Shamicka Gibbs (m. 2010; div. 2012) |
| Children | Jasmine Page Lawrence, Amara Trinity Lawrence, Iyanna Faith Lawrence |
| Net Worth | $110 million |
| Social links | Instagram |
Martin Lawrence Biography
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence was born in Frankfurt, West Germany, to Mr. John Lawrence and Mrs. Chlora Lawrence on April 16, 1965.
Lawrence’s father “John Lawrence” was serving in the US military at the time of Martin’s birth. However, Lawrence is a US citizen despite his birthplace, and no record of him having dual nationality exists.
At age 7, Lawrence’s father left the US Army, prompting their return to the States. After relocating back to the States, Lawrence’s parents’ marriage became unstable, and after a year, they were divorced.
After the divorce, Lawrence could hardly see his father, who had now become a Police Chief for the Franklin D. Roosevelt VA Medical Center in Montrose, New York.
He was mostly seen with his five siblings and his mother, Chlora, who took up several jobs to support her family.
Martin Lawrence’s Educational Background
Regarding Lawrence’s education, he attended Dodge Park Elementary. He also attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School and Friendly High School. During these years, he developed a passion for boxing, which he excelled at, becoming a Mid-Atlantic Golden Gloves boxing contender.
Rise To Fame
Before becoming the actor we know today, Lawrence started as a stand-up comedian and was mostly seen performing in the Washington, D.C., area.
He also worked menial jobs to support himself. While this was happening, he met comedian Ritch Snyder, who was impressed with his act and suggested that he make connections with people in New York.
Lawrence was successful, which led to his appearance in the comedy club “The Improv.” Continuing his streak of success, he landed a performance spot on Star Search and did excessively well, making it into the finals. Despite his performance, he did not win.
Unknown to Lawrence, executives at Columbia Pictures Television had already shown interest in him due to his performance at Star Search. After the finals, he was offered the role of Maurice Warfield in What’s Happening Now!! This was his first acting role, which changed his life.
Martin Lawrence’s Breakthrough
The show “What’s Happening Now!!” was later canceled. Upon its cancellation, Lawrence started appearing in bits/parts of various films and television till he finally landed a major role in the 1989 American comedy-drama film “Do The Right Thing.”
In 1995, Lawrence was offered the role of Detective Mike Lowry in Bad Boys I. The film was a success, and it skyrocketed his fame. As stated earlier, he was paid $6 million for this role.
Since then, he has landed several roles in film and TV, contributing to his wealth and fame as an actor.
Personal Life
Lawrence’s first marriage was to Miss Virginia USA, Patricia Southall, in 1995. Together, they had their first daughter, Jasmine Page, born on January 15, 1996.
Following his divorce from Southall in 1997, Lawrence began another relationship with Shamicka Gibbs, whom he married on July 10, 2010. They have two daughters, Iyanna Faith (2000) and Amara Trinity (2002).
Two years later, Lawrence filed for a divorce from his wife, Gibbs, citing what he termed ” irreconcilable differences.”
In 2019, rumors spread that he was engaged to a nurse named Roberta Moradfar. The rumors also cited that he proposed with a $500,000 engagement ring.
Housing and Real Estate
For many years, Lawrence lived in a big house in Beverly Park, Beverly Hills. He even married Gibbs there.
After their divorce, he put the house up for rent, asking $200,000 monthly.
In 2013, he tried to sell the property for $26.5 million but eventually sold it to Bruce Makowsky, a real estate developer in Los Angeles, for $17.2 million.
After that, Lawrence purchased a house in Encino, California, for $6.63 million.
Lawrence also has a farm near Purcellville, Virginia. In 2018, he listed this 116-acre ranch for $8.5 million.