tiara. Keren Wolf
corset. ANOESES
shorts. Stylist’s Own
shoes. Magda Butrym
opposite
coat. Entire Studio
top. Chanel
lace capri. Beaufille @ FWRD
shoes. Gucci
Charlotte Lawrence is not your typical multi-hyphenate artist. She’s the real deal—an old soul with a fresh perspective, who speaks about her craft, be it music or acting, with the kind of raw honesty that pulls you in. If you’ve heard her music, you know she has a voice that’s both tender and powerful, and now, with her new role in Bad Monkey, she’s showing the world a whole new side of her creativity.
Her love for music began very early. “My family jokes that I came out of the womb singing,” she says with a smile. And it’s not just a throwaway line; her passion for music was evident from the start. “No one in my family played any instruments, but they saw it from a young age and supported me. They put me in piano lessons, and I just loved it.” Her eyes light up as she talks about her musical journey. “I’ll never stop making music. It’s my greatest love.”
But Charlotte isn’t one to box herself into just one passion. As she puts it, “Nowadays, there’s more room to do as many things as you want to do if you feel excited about it and work hard.” That philosophy led her to acting, though she admits it wasn’t an immediate connection for her. “I was always a musical theatre kid, in plays and musicals, but I think I had an aversion to it because my parents are heavily in that world. I wanted to do my own thing.” It took her a while, but once the acting bug bit, it bit hard. “I finally grew up and was like, wait, I actually really love this. It’s such a cool job and an incredible experience to be able to express emotions through written word, just like with music.”
full look. Miu Miu
sunglasses. Gentle Monster
opposite
bikini. Bananhot @ FWRD
full look. Saint Laurent
opposite
full look. Saint Laurent
Her big acting break? A role in Bad Monkey, which has her father, Bill Lawrence, at the helm. But don’t think this was handed to her. Charlotte went through the same audition process as anyone else—perhaps with even more pressure, considering who was in charge. “My dad didn’t even know I auditioned at first,” she laughs. “I gave my audition tape to his assistant and made sure it was in a pile with the other tapes. When he found out, he called me on speakerphone in front of all the writers and was like, ‘What the fuck, Charlotte?’”
The moment she read the script, she fell in love with the character Caitlin. “She resonated with me so much. I really think I could play this role. I don’t know if my dad meant to, but some things Caitlin says are things I’ve said to him before.” Of course, the job didn’t come without a candid conversation. “He told me, ‘If you want to do this, it has to be your only priority. Work harder than you’ve ever worked.’ And I was like, okay, I’ll do it.”
Charlotte doesn’t just talk the talk. She threw herself into the role, working with an acting coach and giving it her all. “I got the job and never looked back,” she says. The show, which is based on Carl Hiaasen’s book, is a dark, satirical comedy — a perfect playground for Charlotte to explore the depths of her character, Caitlin. “Carl Hiaasen is my dad’s favourite writer, so his books were always around growing up. I read Bad Monkey years ago, and I loved it. His writing is so satirical and unique. The writers really did justice to the book, which was such a hard thing to do.”
tiara. Keren Wolf
corset. ANOESES
shorts. Stylist’s Own
opposite
underwear. SKIMS
bracelet. MISHO
Working on Bad Monkey gave Charlotte the chance to act alongside some heavyweights, including Vince Vaughn. “How lucky am I to work with Vince Vaughn?” she says, still clearly starstruck. “He’s so funny, so smart, and just such a perfect comedic actor. I grew up watching him. Wedding Crashers is one of my favourite movies of all time.” Watching Vaughn in action taught her more than any class could. “He would improv on set, go all out, and he made me so much better. Every second that he spoke, I was learning.”
It wasn’t just Vaughn who left an impression. Charlotte speaks with equal admiration for her other cast mates, like Meredith Hagner and Rob Delaney. “Meredith is phenomenal. She’s hilarious both on and off-screen. I feel like she’s at the beginning of a massive career. And Rob? He was so easy to work with. Sometimes it can be awkward to play a close relationship, like a daughter and dad, but with Rob, it wasn’t awkward at all. He made it comfortable and fun.”
As Caitlin, Charlotte taps into some pretty intense themes, like trauma and addiction. “Caitlin’s always trying her best,” she explains. “She’s been thrust into difficult situations from a young age, and her reaction to that trauma is to become an extremist.” Whether Caitlin is battling heroin addiction or seeking refuge in religion, Charlotte portrays her with compassion. “I empathise with her so much. She’s not just some young, stupid, bratty girl. She’s deep and soulful, and she’s just trying to make it work.”
full look. Miu Miu
opposite
full look. Miu Miu
sunglasses. Gentle Monster
coat. Entire Studio
top. Chanel
lace capri. Beaufille @ FWRD
opposite
full look. Saint Laurent
The series strikes a balance between humour and serious undertones, weaving in a murder mystery that keeps viewers hooked. “It’s a hilarious, satirical, dark comedy with a massive murder mystery twist. Whether you like comedy or dark, scary mystery dramas, this show’s for you.” She beams as she talks about the cast, especially Vaughn. “Vince Vaughn is, in my opinion, at his best in this show. He’s so good.”
So, what does she hope people will take away from Bad Monkey? “It’s just a really fun show,” she says simply. “It’s exciting, a nail-biter, and it makes you laugh. It’s an easy watch but also very smart. I’ve always loved Carl Hiaasen’s books because they’re intellectual and well-thought-out. I think the show reflects that.”
Looking to the future, Charlotte is ready to keep exploring acting, but she makes it clear that music will always remain her first love. “I definitely caught the acting bug,” she admits. “I really love it and want to keep doing it. But music? I’ll never stop making music.” In fact, she has an album ready to go, along with a fun surprise. “I did a cover of Tom Petty’s Wildflowers, which will be in one of the next episodes of Bad Monkey. It comes out September 11th.”
It’s clear that whether she’s acting or singing, Charlotte Lawrence is driven by passion. And for her, it’s all about embracing whatever creative avenue excites her. “I just feel lucky to do what I love,” she says. And we’re lucky to witness her journey unfold.
top. Dickies
briefs. SKIMS
shoes + belt. Gucci
hat. Miu Miu
opposite
underwear. SKIMS
shoes. Gucci
bracelet. MISHO
Bad Monkey is now streaming on AppleTV.
photography + direction. Benjo Arwas
creative direction + fashion. Shalev Lavan @ The Visionaries
talent. Charlotte Lawrence
hair. Ricky Fraser @ The Wall Group using Oribe
make up. Alexandra French @ Forward Artists using Chanel Beauty
creative production. Clara La Rosa
production. AGP WEST
photography assistant. Tyler Gurd
fashion assistant. Cassidy Mamula
words. Gennaro Costanzo
