Jayme Lawson (born September 19, 1997) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Mayor Bella Reál in The Batman (2022) and Pearline in Sinners (2025).
Early life Lawson grew up in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area as the youngest of six siblings. She attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts and spent summers attending theatre camp. Upon graduation, Lawson moved to New York City to attend Juilliard School. Lawson has cited her love of poetry and literature of the Harlem Renaissance as an early influence, as well as the talent of actresses Phylicia Rashad and Lucille Ball.
Career After graduating Juilliard in May 2019, Lawson appeared in the off-Broadway play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf, a revival of the 1976 hit play by Ntozake Shange. Lawson's performance was considered a stand out. Lawson's film debut was in the 2020 film Farewell Amor as Sylvia. In 2019, she gained attention when she was cast in the film The Batman (2022) as Bella Reál, a mayoral candidate for Gotham City. She would reprise her The Batman role in the 2024 HBO television series The Penguin.
In January 2021, she was cast as a young Michelle Obama in the television series The First Lady (2022). In 2022, she appeared in the drama films Till, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, and The Woman King as Myrlie Evers, Alisha, and Shante, respectively.
In 2025, Lawson co-starred in Ryan Coogler's supernatural period horror film Sinners; her performance earned Lawson a Gotham Independent Film Awards Ensemble Tribute Award. She also appears as Sheila in Edgar Wright’s The Running Man, an adaptation of the 1982 novel by Stephen King.
Filmography Film
Year Title Role Notes 2020 Farewell Amor Sylvia 2022 The Batman Bella Reál How to Blow Up a Pipeline Alisha The Woman King Shante Till Myrlie Evers 2025 Sinners Pearline The Running Man Sheila Richards 2028 Bella Reál Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes 2022 The First Lady Young Michelle Obama Recurring role, 7 episodes 2024 Genius Betty Shabazz Main role, 8 episodes (Season 4) The Penguin Bella Reál Miniseries, 2 episodes
Stage credits YearTitleRoleVenueRef. 2019 For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is EnufLady in GreenThe Public Theater
Awards and nominations Award Year Category Nominated work Result Actor Awards 2026 Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Sinners
References
External links
Jayme Lawson at the Internet Off-Broadway Database