Lance Darnell Gross (born July 8, 1981) is an Ghanaian American actor,
model and photographer. He is best known for his role as Calvin Payne
on the TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's House of Payne and OWN sitcom Tyler
Perry's The Paynes., as well as appearing in other Tyler Perry
productions such as the Meet the Browns (2008) film and Tyler Perry's
Temptations: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013). He also
co-starred in 2010's Our Family Wedding alongside Forest Whitaker,
Carlos Mencia, America Ferrera, and Regina King. He also starred as
Secret Service Agent Marcus Finley in NBC's political drama
Crisis.Gross was born in Oakland, California, the child of a Ghanaian
father and African American mother, and later moved to Las Vegas,
Nevada, to attend and graduate from Bonanza High School. He went on to
attend Howard University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in
theater. He then trained at The Ivanna Chubbuck Studio as well as the
Tasha Smith Acting Studio.Gross began his career by modeling for Karl
Kani and appearing in music videos for artists such as Mary J. Blige,
Rihanna and Mariah Carey. In 2006, he had minor roles in Eve and The
Bernie Mac Show. It was while he was performing in the Tasha Smith
Acting Studio that he was discovered by Tyler Perry. He was
consequently cast as Calvin Payne on Perry's new sitcom House of
Payne. In the show Gross plays Calvin, a young professional who has
attended college for seven years. He has been awarded four NAACP Image
Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for this
role.2008 saw Gross make his film debut in the romantic comedy Meet
the Browns. His next big screen appearance was in Our Family Wedding
in 2010 alongside America Ferrera, in which they portrayed a recently
engaged young couple whose wedding preparations are disrupted by their
families. In 2012 he starred in the independent film The Last Fall,
the story of a retired NFL player dealing with financial and family
difficulties. Currently Gross plays a major role on the Fox musical
drama Star.
model and photographer. He is best known for his role as Calvin Payne
on the TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's House of Payne and OWN sitcom Tyler
Perry's The Paynes., as well as appearing in other Tyler Perry
productions such as the Meet the Browns (2008) film and Tyler Perry's
Temptations: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013). He also
co-starred in 2010's Our Family Wedding alongside Forest Whitaker,
Carlos Mencia, America Ferrera, and Regina King. He also starred as
Secret Service Agent Marcus Finley in NBC's political drama
Crisis.Gross was born in Oakland, California, the child of a Ghanaian
father and African American mother, and later moved to Las Vegas,
Nevada, to attend and graduate from Bonanza High School. He went on to
attend Howard University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in
theater. He then trained at The Ivanna Chubbuck Studio as well as the
Tasha Smith Acting Studio.Gross began his career by modeling for Karl
Kani and appearing in music videos for artists such as Mary J. Blige,
Rihanna and Mariah Carey. In 2006, he had minor roles in Eve and The
Bernie Mac Show. It was while he was performing in the Tasha Smith
Acting Studio that he was discovered by Tyler Perry. He was
consequently cast as Calvin Payne on Perry's new sitcom House of
Payne. In the show Gross plays Calvin, a young professional who has
attended college for seven years. He has been awarded four NAACP Image
Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for this
role.2008 saw Gross make his film debut in the romantic comedy Meet
the Browns. His next big screen appearance was in Our Family Wedding
in 2010 alongside America Ferrera, in which they portrayed a recently
engaged young couple whose wedding preparations are disrupted by their
families. In 2012 he starred in the independent film The Last Fall,
the story of a retired NFL player dealing with financial and family
difficulties. Currently Gross plays a major role on the Fox musical
drama Star.
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