Denyce Lawton

Denyce Lawton is an American actress and model of South Korean and African American descent. Born in Seoul, South Korea, on May 2, 1978, she is best known for her recurring television roles, including Dana Carter on Tyler Perry's House of Payne from 2008 to 2009 and Sheila Willis on The Hot Zone in 2021.

Lawton is the middle child of three siblings. During her childhood, she was raised in the United States, living in Belmar and Neptune, New Jersey. She later graduated from Largo High School in Largo, Maryland. Lawton enrolled at the University of Maryland to study pre-medical coursework, but she ultimately dropped out to pursue work in the theater.

Prior to establishing her acting career, Lawton worked extensively in the music and entertainment industry. She served as the Assistant Vice President of Urban Promotions at Warner Brothers Records and worked in the artists and repertoire department for Priority Records. She later was employed at Def Jam Recordings and Murder Inc. Records, where she served as a personal assistant to producer Irv Gotti. After working as a publicist for 20th Century Studios, she performed as a background dancer in various Broadway productions. Around 2001, Lawton relocated to Los Angeles to pursue acting full-time.

As an actress, Lawton has appeared in a variety of film, web, and television projects. She played the role of Love in Snoop Dogg's Malice N Wonderland, starred in the short film Interception, and appeared in the web series Almost Home. In addition to her acting work, Lawton has had a prominent career as a model, featuring on the covers of numerous publications including MAMI Magazine, Black Men, The Source, Today's Black Woman, BQE Magazine, Smooth, Edge Magazine, XXL, J’Adore, Smooth Girl, Daily News, Mass Appeal, and XXL Presents Eye Candy Magazine.

In her personal life, Lawton experienced tragedy on March 24, 2011, when her younger brother, Gregory Jr., was shot and killed during a dispute with a neighbor in Temple Hills, Maryland. On June 1, 2024, Lawton married her childhood friend, Eban Grasti, in Washington, D.C., in a ceremony where actress Kyla Pratt and singer Mya served as bridesmaids.