Who is Matthew Lawrence?
Matthew Lawrence, born on 11th February 1980, in Abington Township, Pennsylvania, USA, is an actor and singer, perhaps best known for starring in the family-friendly comedy “Mrs Doubtfire”. The handsome star is 5ft 7in (1.73m) tall and weighs about 155lbs (70kgs).
Matthew’s Family
Matthew’s parents, Donna Lynn and Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Sr., worked as a personnel manager and an insurance broker respectively. Before Matthew’s birth, the family surname was changed from Mignogna to Lawrence. The thespian and his two brothers Joey and Andy – who are also actors – share Italian, English and Scottish heritage.
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As a child, Matthew went to Abington Friends School, an independent Quaker school in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Notable alumni include athletes Bryan Cohen and Jabril Trawick, who both play in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.
Matthew’s First Roles
Being a child actor, Matthew had the challenging task of juggling his job with his studies. At just four years old, viewers saw the future star for the first time in the drama series “Dynasty”, based on the trials and tribulations of two rich families, the Carringtons and the Colbys. The series won a Primetime Emmy, and was nominated over ninety times, winning 24 other awards.
In 1985, Matthew left the series and joined the cast of “Sara”, a comedy created by Ruth Bennett and Gary David Goldberg, for a total of 13 episodes in which he played Jesse Webber, the young son of the main character’s love interest. The series wasn’t renewed for a second season, despite performances from acting greats such as Bill Maher.
The youngster’s next recurring role was in “Gimme a Break!”, a sitcom based on the rambunctious daily life of a housekeeper, who assumes the maternal role in her dead best friend’s household, and takes care of her teenage children. Playing Matthew Donovan, the actor worked with Rosie O’Donnell, leading lady Nell Carter, and others during 1986 and 1987, when the show ended.
Matthew’s first movie role came the same year, with the Thanksgiving comedy “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”. Despite not being a box office hit, the protagonist of the feel-good movie, John Candy, was nominated for an American Comedy Award in the Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture category.
Matthew’s Notable Roles
With an acting career that spans decades, we’d be hard-pressed to pick out Matthew’s best projects. Undoubtedly, fans fondly remember the actor to this day for his stellar performance in the legendary “Mrs Doubtfire”, directed by Chris Columbus and based on the Anne Fine novel of a similar name.
Starring talents such as the deceased Robin Williams, the movie followed the journey of his character, Daniel Hillard, after a bitter divorce. Deciding to dress as a woman and disguise himself as a nanny in order to spend more time with his young children – played by Matthew, Lisa Jakub, and “Matilda” star Mara Wilson – Daniel managed to win over his ex-wife, played by Sally Field, and gain joint custody.
Two years later, Matthew starred in the comedy series “Brotherly Love”, along with his real-life siblings Joey and Andrew. The TV-PG series was a hit, and managed to touch sensitive topics such as the death of a father, with tact and sensibility, part of the reason why it was nominated for four awards.
When the series ended in 1997 after 40 episodes, Matthew wasted no time in scoring a role in “Boy Meets World”, a family drama about a group of adolescent friends who go through growing pains together, and support each other in trying times.
Finally, Matthew began branching out artistically in 2002, when he played Billy in “The Hot Chick”, a comedy about a cruel but attractive young woman who wakes up one day and finds herself in an unattractive older guy’s body. Rob Schneider, Rachel McAdams and Anna Faris were Billy’s co-stars, ensuring the project’s success and popularity.
Matthew’s Private Life
Before meeting his future wife Cheryl Burke, Matthew had his fair share of relationships.
The child star’s first public romance was in summer 2004, when he began dating actress Heidi Muller of “Passions” fame. Barely six months into their love story, the couple announced their engagement, however, things soon soured between the two, and they announced their split in 2006, perhaps due to the publicity and paparazzi. Fans were shocked and heartbroken by their decision.
A year after the split, Matthew moved on and found love with dancer and television host Cheryl Burke. Overcoming hardships early in life after being molested at just five years old by the family handyman, Cheryl opened her first dance studio in spring 2008, and launched her activewear line the following year, showing her resilience and business acumen.
Matthew and Cheryl first met in 2006, when the actor’s brother Joey was cast in “Dancing With The Stars” along with the former model. The pair quickly hit things off, and it’s rumored that Cheryl was part of the reason why Matthew and Heidi broke up. In 2008, Matthew went back on the dating scene, and was said to have dated Australian actress Laura New between 2012 and 2016.
We don’t know when Cheryl and Matthew rekindled their relationship, but just two years after breaking things off with Laura, the “Mrs Doubtfire” star asked Cheryl to marry him on her 34th birthday, and the brunette stunner readily accepted. A year later, they made things official in San Diego, California, and celebrated their love in an intimate ceremony.
Despite the pair’s confusing timeline, they’re going strong as of late 2021, and frequently share happy snaps on social media.
Matthew’s Net Worth
Our sources confirm that Matthew’s worth is estimated at over $5 million. Although the actor regularly cashes in royalties from past projects, he’s still hard at work and can be seen in uplifting Christmas movies, gritty adventure productions, and everything in between. As for Cheryl, the Californian dancer’s net worth is reputedly over $500,000 thanks to her activewear line, lucrative endorsement deals, and annual “Dancing With The Stars” gig.
