Matthew Lawrence Biography

Date of Birth: February 11, 1980

Matthew Lawrence was only four years old when he became a professional actor. His older brother, Joey Lawrence, had landed a regular role as Joey Donovan on the hit TV series Gimme A Break! in 1983 when he was only seven, and one year later, four-year-old Matthew followed in his footsteps when he became Danny Carrington Jr. on the TV series Dynasty. A year later, Matthew moved to a new series called Sara (1985), starring Geena Davis, but the show only lasted one year. He then was offered a role on his brother's series, Gimme A Break!, playing Joey's little brother, Matthew Donovan.

His major motion picture debut came in Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), starring Steve Martin and John Candy. Matthew's next role was in a TV thriller called Pulse (1988), again working alongside his older brother. Roles in a number of films and TV movies followed, and in 1991 he landed recurring roles in two television series: Drexell's Class, starring Dabney Coleman, and Walter and Emily, starring Brian Keith and Cloris Leachman. Matthew's little brother Andy made his acting debut at the age of three in Walter and Emily, playing his little brother. Both series were short-lived, and Matthew made his return to features in Mrs. Doubtfire(1993), playing the teenage son of Robin Williams and Sally Field. His good looks made him a favorite among teenage and pre-teen girls, and he soon began appearing alongside handsome older brother Joey in the pages of teen magazines.

Due to the popularity of the three brothers, a TV show was created for them called Brotherly Love (1995). The show was popular enough to run for two seasons, and in 1996, all three brothers appeared in a TV movie set in the 1800s, called Brothers of the Frontier. The three boys played brothers who are separated from their parents when their family is forced from their homestead. Although Brotherly Love was not renewed for a third season, Matthew immediately landed another role on the hit series Boy Meets World during its fourth season. His role on the show made Matthew even more popular with young girls and he was featured in teen magazines so often that he finally had to turn down requests for interviews. He stayed with the series until it ended in 2000, while still finding time to do TV movies, including Family Tree (1999) with Andy, as well as making an uncredited cameo as a cowboy at the airport in Horse Sense (1999), in which Andy and Joey starred as cousins.

The three brothers reunited in 2001 to work on the TV movie Jumping Ship, in which Andy and Joe returned to the roles they'd created in Horse Sense, and Matthew played the captain of a yacht that sinks, leaving the three stranded on a deserted island.

Matthew made his return to the big screen playing a high school student in The Hot Chick (2002). He loves animals and would like to become a zoologist one day. His hobbies include singing and playing guitar. Matthew lives in the Los Angeles area with his mother Donna, his father Joseph and his younger brother, Andy.

Filmography:

The Hot Chick (2002)
Strike (1998)
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990)
Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)