Lance Gross

Gross was born in Oakland, California, the child of an African American mother and Ghanaian immigrant father, and later moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, to attend and graduate from Bonanza High School.{{cite web|last=Roberts |first=Randall |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/ex-bonanza-high-track-star-gross-stays-on-the-run-with-role-in-hostage-thriller/ |title=Ex-Bonanza High track star Gross stays on the run with role in hostage thriller | Las Vegas Review-Journal |publisher=Reviewjournal.com |date=2014-03-16 |accessdate=2022-05-28}} He went on to attend Howard University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in theater.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lance-gross/bio/3030343963/|title=Lance Gross|website=TVGuide.com}} He then trained at The Ivanna Chubbuck Studio as well as the Tasha Smith Acting Studio.{{cite web|url=http://independentfilmquarterly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1056&Itemid=125|title=Lance Gross: The Last Fall & Tyler Perry|access-date=August 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130903064009/http://independentfilmquarterly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1056&Itemid=125|archive-date=September 3, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

Gross began his career by modeling for Karl Kani and appearing in music videos for artists such as Mary J. Blige, Rihanna and Mariah Carey.{{cite web|url=http://www.tbs.com/stories/story/0,,107834,00.html |title=Tyler Perry's House of Payne - Lance Gross As Calvin Payne |access-date=August 12, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705213632/http://www.tbs.com/stories/story/0%2C%2C107834%2C00.html |archive-date=July 5, 2013 }} In 2006, he had minor roles in Eve and The Bernie Mac Show.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2342614/bio |title= Biography for Lance Gross|website= IMDb}} He was consequently cast as Calvin Payne on Perry's new sitcom House of Payne in 2006. In the show Gross plays Calvin, a young professional who has attended college for seven years. He has been awarded four NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for this role.{{cite web|title= Meet The Brown's Man Of The House-Lance Gross|url= http://clients.digipage.co.uk/?userpath=00000001/00003838/00019163/&page=25|access-date= 2019-04-30|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150626121357/http://clients.digipage.co.uk/?userpath=00000001%2F00003838%2F00019163%2F&page=25|archive-date= 2015-06-26|url-status= dead}}

2008 saw Gross make his big screen debut in the romantic comedy-drama film Meet the Browns opposite Angela Bassett.{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackfilm.com/20071129/features/meetthebrowns.shtml|title=December 2007 | blackfilm.com | Tyler Perry's MEET THE BROWNS|website=www.blackfilm.com}} His next big screen appearance was in the 2010 romantic comedy-drama Our Family Wedding alongside America Ferrera, in which they portrayed a recently engaged young couple whose wedding preparations are disrupted by their families.{{Cite web|url=http://www.essence.com/celebrity/lance-gross-our-family-wedding/|title=Lance Gross Preps For Wedlock In 'Our Family Wedding'|date=October 29, 2020|website=Essence}} In 2012, he starred in the independent film The Last Fall, the story of a retired NFL player dealing with financial and family difficulties.{{cite web|title=Lance Gross Talks 'The Last Fall' and His Most Vulnerable Role |url=http://www.vibe.com/article/lance-gross-talks-%E2%80%98-last-fall%E2%80%99-and-his-most-vulnerable-role |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115092400/http://www.vibe.com/article/lance-gross-talks-%E2%80%98-last-fall%E2%80%99-and-his-most-vulnerable-role |archive-date=2013-11-15 }} Also in 2012, Gross starred as Sammy Desoto in the Lifetime remake of Steel Magnolias.{{Cite web|url=https://blavity.com/|title=The Community for Black Creativity and News - Blavity News|website=Blavity News & Entertainment}}

In 2013, Gross starred opposite Jurnee Smollett-Bell in the romantic drama film Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor directed by Tyler Perry. It received predominantly negative reviews from critics.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/temptation_2013|title=Temptation | Rotten Tomatoes|website=www.rottentomatoes.com}} The following year he went to star in the short-lived NBC political drama series, Crisis.{{Cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2014/03/13/nbcs-crisis-gives-california-native-lance-goss-a-chance-to-be-action-star/|title=NBC's 'Crisis' gives California native Lance Goss a chance to be action star|first=The Contra Costa Times | The Contra Costa|last=Times|date=March 13, 2014}} In 2015 he guest-starred in two episodes of ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy playing Dr. Ethan Boyd. Later in 2015 he joined the cast of Fox series Sleepy Hollow.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/sleepy-hollow-season-3-lance-811033/|title='Sleepy Hollow' Casts Abbie's New Boss (Exclusive)|first=Lesley|last=Goldberg|website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=July 24, 2015}} In 2016, Gross returned to film starring alongside Larenz Tate and Meagan Good in the crime drama Deuces for Netflix.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ebony.com/larenz-tate-lance-gross-deuces/|title=Larenz Tate, Lance Gross Test Loyalty in Netflix Film, 'Deuces'|date=April 3, 2017}} In 2017 he starred in the crime drama film When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story directed by Tasha Smith.{{Cite web|url=https://theknockturnal.com/tv-review-love-kills/amp/|title=TV Review: 'When Love Kills'|first=Keydra|last=Manns|date=August 28, 2017|website=The Knockturnal}} From 2017 to 2019 he played Maurice Jetter in the Fox musical drama series, Star. In 2018, on OWN's The Paynes, he made appearances as a recurring character in the episodes "A Surprise for the Paynes", "Revelations of Payne" and "A Confrontation of Payne", along with Allen Payne, Demetria McKinney, Larramie "Doc" Shaw and China Anne McClain. In 2018 he co-starred in the BET miniseries The Bobby Brown Story.{{Cite web|url=https://thesource.com/2018/03/07/mekhi-phifer-milton-lil-rel-howery-and-lance-gross-join-the-cast-of-the-bobby-brown-story/,%20https://thesource.com/2018/03/07/mekhi-phifer-milton-lil-rel-howery-and-lance-gross-join-the-cast-of-the-bobby-brown-story/|title=Mekhi Phifer, Milton "Lil Rel" Howery, and Lance Gross Join the Cast of 'The Bobby Brown Story' - The Source|first=Fatima|last=Barrie|date=March 7, 2018}} Gross also had recurring roles on CBS series MacGyver and Hawaii Five-0.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/02/hawaii-five-o-lance-gross-cast-final-two-episodes-season-10-option-series-regular-1202860564/|title='Hawaii Five-O': Lance Gross Joins Cast As Potential Series Regular|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=February 14, 2020}}

In 2021, Gross played the leading role in the crime drama film, Dutch.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/02/jacqueline-bisset-amazon-birds-of-paradise-lance-gross-dutch-vernon-davis-red-winter-film-briefs-1202870877/|title=Jacqueline Bisset Joins Amazon Film 'Birds of Paradise'; Lance Gross To Star In 'Dutch'; Vernon Davis In 'Red Winter'- Film Briefs|first=Amanda|last=N'Duka|date=February 28, 2020}} He later starred in the Fox prime time soap opera, Our Kind of People opposite Yaya DaCosta.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/06/our-kind-of-people-lance-gross-series-regular-fox-drama-1234781152/|title='Our Kind Of People': Lance Gross Joins Fox Drama As Series Regular|first=Alexandra Del|last=Rosario|date=June 24, 2021}} The series was cancelled after one season. In 2022 he co-starred opposite Karen Pittman in the romantic comedy film Unthinkably Good Things and in 2023 starred alongside Naturi Naughton in the action thriller film Call Her King.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/05/call-her-king-premiere-date-bet-plus-naturi-naughton-lance-gross-1235378473/|title='Call Her King': BET+ Sets Premiere Date For Action Thriller Starring Naturi Naughton & Lance Gross|first=Matt|last=Grobar|date=May 24, 2023}}

In July 2006, Gross began dating actress Eva Marcille. The couple became engaged on December 24, 2008, and split up in March 2010. On May 23, 2015, Gross married fashion stylist Rebecca Jefferson {{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/659623/lance-gross-is-married-actor-says-i-do-to-fiancee-rebecca-jefferson-in-los-angeles|title=Lance Gross Says I Do To Rebecca Jefferson|author1=Vulpo, Mike |author2=Cooper, Jennifer|publisher=Eonline.com|date=May 23, 2015|access-date=December 18, 2015}} The couple are parents to two children, daughter, Berkeley Brynn Gross (born November 20, 2014),{{cite magazine|url=http://www.essence.com/2015/01/11/lance-gross-reveals-first-photo-newborn-daughter-berkeley|title=Lance Gross Reveals Newborn Daughter|author=Penn, Charlie|magazine=Essence.com|date=January 11, 2015|access-date=December 18, 2015}} and son, Lennon Lorin Gross (born July 10, 2018).

In November 2021, Gross became initiated as an official member of Kappa Alpha Psi.

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{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series}}

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Category:1981 births

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:Living people

Category:American people of Ghanaian descent

Category:Howard University alumni

Category:Male actors from Oakland, California

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:21st-century African-American male actors

Category:20th-century African-American male actors

Category:20th-century American male actors