Yolonda E. Lawrence Ayana Simon Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment TV writer and producer Yolonda E. Lawrence, who worked on series including Fox's Empire and The CW's Riverdale, has died. Lawrence died unexpectedly in Los Angeles on Oct. 10. She was 56 years old. A native of Brooklyn and graduate of Syracuse University, Lawrence moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s to work in the industry. She began as a production assistant and production coordinator on series' including The Crew, a comedy co-created by Marc Cherry, and the Fox drama 413 Hope St. before becoming an assistant to showrunners Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin (Chicago Hope, Judging Amy), who mentored her as a writer. Related Stories Movies Penelope Milford, Oscar-Nominated Actress in 'Coming Home,' Dies at 77 Movies Faye Schwab, Producer on 'The Morning After,' 'Chattahoochee' and 'Demolition Man,' Dies at 101 Lawrence landed her first staff job on the CBS drama Shark in 2006. She penned episodes of Lincoln Heights, Reaper, Shondaland's Star-Crossed, ABC Family's The Nine Lives of Chloe King and Witches of East End, among other shows. She was a writer and supervising producer of Riverdale in 2017-18 before moving to Empire, where she rose to co-executive producer and co-developed a potential spinoff focused on Taraji P. Henson's character with Danny Strong and Stacy A. Littlejohn. Recent credits included Showtime's The First Lady, Peacock's Bel-Air and Tyler Perry's BET series Sistas. She also served as a mentor to a number of young Black creatives and others looking to find a place in the industry. Lawrence is survived by her mother, Barbara Simon, and siblings Ayana Simon and Craig Simon. A memorial service is being planned for later this month in Los Angeles. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up The Fien Print 'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' Review: Peacock's Thoughtful Limited Series Is a Refreshing Corrective to Ryan Murphy-Style Sensationalism Live Feed 'The Morning Show' Star Nicole Beharie on Her Stunning Admission: "I Feel a Responsibility" victoria's secret fashion show Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2025: How to Watch Angel Reese, K-Pop Stars Twice, Gigi Hadid and More Live YouTube From Streamer to Superpower: How YouTube Stole the Show at MIPCOM Live Feed 'South Park' Returns After Three-Week Hiatus With Cartman up Against the Antichrist Live Feed 'Bosch' Prequel Starring Cameron Monaghan, Omari Hardwick a Go at MGM+ The Fien Print 'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' Review: Peacock's Thoughtful Limited Series Is a Refreshing Corrective to Ryan Murphy-Style Sensationalism Live Feed 'The Morning Show' Star Nicole Beharie on Her Stunning Admission: "I Feel a Responsibility" victoria's secret fashion show Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2025: How to Watch Angel Reese, K-Pop Stars Twice, Gigi Hadid and More Live YouTube From Streamer to Superpower: How YouTube Stole the Show at MIPCOM Live Feed 'South Park' Returns After Three-Week Hiatus With Cartman up Against the Antichrist Live Feed 'Bosch' Prequel Starring Cameron Monaghan, Omari Hardwick a Go at MGM+