As “Sinners” inches closer and closer to potential Oscars gold, theres one member of the cast that fans can’t help but marvel over and that’s “Pearline”—played by the beautiful Jayme Lawson. While she may have been a new face to some folks, Lawson has quietly been out here building her Hollywood career over the last several years and it’s all got us wanting to know a little bit more about her story. And especially after her now-viral interview about the infamous BAFTAs incident, folks are wondering where this gorgeous face with perfectly articulated thoughts and grace has been.
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So if you’re also curious about this insanely pretty and immensely talented star, keep reading to find out more!
Early Days
Born as the youngest of six siblings, Jayme Lawson grew up going to school in Washington D.C. at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Over the summertime, she’d spend her time going to theater camps.
Off to Julliard
Despite her training to be an actor since the tender age of eight, it would be years before she’d get the supreme training she’d receive when she got accepted into the Julliard School in New York City. However, in an interview with movie buff Straw Hat Goofy in January, she revealed that after she graduated in 2019 and signed with her agent—she actually didn’t want to be an actor at all. Instead, she viewed it as a “stepping stone” into her next, though she’s unclear of what that actually is.
“This isn’t my final form,” she said.
The same year she graduated, she was also the recipient of Julliard’s prestigious Laura Pels Prize, the top acting award of the school.
“For Colored Girls” Off-Broadway Debut
In 2019, Lawson made her off-Broadway debut at the The Public Theater in NYC in the revival of Ntozake Shange’s critically acclaimed work, “FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE / WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF.” In 2020, she starred in her first film, “Farewell Amor,” starring opposite Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine and Marcus Scribner. The film premiered at Sundance earlier that year.
Breakout Role in “Batman”
Lawson’s acting prowess no doubt came during her breakout role in the 2022 film”The Batman,” acting opposite Robert Pattinson. In the film, she portrayed Mayor Bella Reál, which received widespread praise from fans and only helped elevate her visibility in the industry. Two years later, Lawson would reprise the role in HBO’s popular hit series “The Penguin.”
Lawson Lands “The Woman King”
The year 2022 proved to be a highly successful year for her as she starred alongside Viola Davis, John Boyega and Lashana Lynch in the critically-acclaimed film “The Woman King.” There, she played one of concubines of Boyega’s King Ghezo. While the role may have been minimal, her presence wasn’t.
TV and Film Takeovers
On the TV front, in 2022, Lawson also starred as a young Michelle Obama in the television series “The First Lady.” But she was no doubt mostly in her film bag as she also starred in the thriller “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” and “Till,” the latter of which earned widespread acclaim and starred Danielle Deadwyler. In that film, she starred as Myrlie Evers, wife to civil rights icon Medgar Evers.
“Genius MLK/X” and Betty Shabazz
It would seem as if her time on “Till” proved to be a stepping stone into her next TV role in 2024 as she would be tapped to star alongside Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. for their Hulu show, “Genius: MLK/X.” In it, she portrayed Betty Shabazz, wife to Pierre’s impressive Malcolm X. In 2025, she was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special or Movie) for her role at the NAACP Image Awards.
“Sinners”
As you well know by now, Lawson eventually secured a role on Ryan Coogler’s history-making, Oscar-nominated film “Sinners” where she starred alongside an iconic cast led by Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Miles Caton and more.
For her role as “Pearline,” she served as the (married) love interest to Caton’s Sammie “Preacherboy” Moore, a young Blues singer from the Mississippi Delta who has dreams of making it big in music. Though she tried to push off Moore’s advances, she eventually takes a liking to him and shows off her own singing and entertaining talents at his cousin’s juke joint.
“Sinners” Accolades
As a part of the incredible ensemble of Sinners, Lawson earned a a Gotham Independent Film Awards Ensemble Tribute Award, an NAACP Image Award, an Actor Award (f.k.a. SAG Awards) and more—which only proved she made the right decision by saying yes to a project that was originally described as “Grilled Cheese.”
Early Days
As if being a part of the beloved whirlwind that is “Sinners” wasn’t enough, Lawson somehow found the time to star in the 2025 film, The Running Man, starring opposite Glen Powell. That film too boasted a stacked cast of Powell, Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin, Michael Cera, Daniel Ezra and more. The film was based off the Stephen King novel of the same name with the author describing the movie as a “bipartisan thrill ride.”
Red Carpet Stunner
In addition to her acting talents, however, fans of Lawson also can’t help by revel in her beauty with many users on social media frequently pointing out the fact that she’s a consistent stunner on red carpets and is overall an insanely gorgeous woman.
“Jayme Lawson had me in a chokehold every red carpet,” wrote one user on X/Twitter.
“Jayme Lawson is absolutely slaying in that sparkling gown for the Actor Awards—pure elegance!” said another of her recent Actor Awards look pictured above.
Said another user: “I need them to cast her in everything! Like now! Incredibly smart, talented, classy…she has it all!”
Jayme Lawson Is as Eloquent as She Is Exquisite
The best part about Lawson besides being a fashion girlie, a talented actress and a pretty “it-girl?” She’s extremely smart, classy and graceful as she recently displayed in her now-viral interview with The Hollywood Reporter where she spoke on her thoughts and feelings about the now-infamous BAFTA situation involving a man with Tourette Syndrome and her “Sinners” costars Jordan and Lindo.
“Institutionally, we still don’t understand what inclusion means,” Lawson said in part. “Just because you invite someone into a space but you don’t provide them with the necessary resource to keep them and everyone else in that room by being there, that’s not inclusivity…that’s exploitation.”
What’s Next for Jayme Lawson? Storm, Maybe?
While Lawson’s next big move has yet to revealed, fans are absolutely pulling for her to be cast as Storm in the DC Comic franchise. While many Black actresses names have been floating around for that coveted role, given Lawson’s recent success and upward swing—she may have a better chance than most at securing this spot. Regardless, we’ll be rooting for her no matter what she chooses to do!
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