Acclaimed TV Writer Yolonda E. Lawrence Dies at 56

Yolonda E. Lawrence, a highly respected TV writer and producer, passed away unexpectedly in Los Angeles on October 10, 2025. She was 56 years old.

Lawrence, a native of Brooklyn and a graduate of Syracuse University, moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. She started as a production assistant and coordinator before becoming a writer, eventually landing her first staff job on the CBS drama Shark in 2006. Over the years, Lawrence went on to write for a variety of acclaimed shows, including Lincoln Heights, Reaper, Star-Crossed, and The Nine Lives of Chloe King.

In recent years, Lawrence had been a writer and supervising producer on The CW's Riverdale, and she had also worked as a co-executive producer on the hit Fox series Empire, where she co-developed a potential spinoff focused on Taraji P. Henson's character. Her most recent credits included work on Showtime's The First Lady, Peacock's Bel-Air, and Tyler Perry's BET series Sistas. Throughout her career, Lawrence was known as a mentor to many young Black creatives looking to break into the industry.

Lawrence is survived by her mother, Barbara Simon, and her siblings, Ayana Simon and Craig Simon. A memorial service is being planned for later this month in Los Angeles to celebrate her life and legacy.