Source: Michael Buckner / Getty
Last week (April 20), beloved actor and comedian Martin Lawrence was finally placed amongst the stars where he belongs. Well, at least his name was. The recently turned 58 year-old (who just celebrated a birthday on April 16) was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. During his acceptance speech, Martin was sure to thank the women in his life who have kept him driven over the years.
“As I stand here very gracious and humble, I would like to give honor to my mom whose continual guidance from above has molded me into the man I am today,” Lawrence said. “She instilled the importance of being true to myself and by doing that I have been able to bring laughter to so many.”
“Thank you to my three beautiful daughters, Jasmine, Iyanna, and Amara,” he continued. “The three of you are a part of the best gift given to me. I love you all so very much.”
Before exiting the podium, Lawrence thanked the cast of
Martin and left generations of his fans with some advice.
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“If I could pass one thing on to those coming after me, it would be to board your dream bus with confidence, grace, and humility, and ride it ’til the wheels fall off. Let the doubters RunTellDat.”
It was indeed a star studded event. Lawrence’s family and friends gathered to celebrate his illustrious legacy and countless accomplishments. Those in attendance included Tichina Arnold (who played Pamela James on Lawrence’s sitcom
Martin) and Lynn Whitfield (who starred alongside Martin in the 1996 romantic comedy
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate). Fellow comedians Tracy Morgan and Steve Harvey also were there and spoke on Lawrence’s lasting impact on television.
“In my generation, when you say Martin, you don’t have to say his last name,” Morgan said at the ceremony. “Everybody knows who you talking about. My parents had Red Foxx and Sanford and Son, we had Martin Lawrence and the Martin Show.”
Martin has been a prominent force in the game for quite some time now. After getting his start playing Maurice Warfield on the sitcom
What’s Happening Now!! in the 1980s, the doors opened up for him on the stand-up comedy front. Although he gained notoriety for hosting HBO’s
Def Comedy Jam in the 1990s, he really became a commercial success when his sitcom debuted in 1992. In 1995, Martin starred alongside Will Smith in the film
Bad Boys. There are three total films in the franchise with a fourth on the way. The list of his accomplishments is extensive so it was only right that he was celebrated to reflect that. Check out the ceremony and some photos from it below! Congratulations to Marty Mar!
