Yolonda E. Lawrence, Writer and Producer for ‘Riverdale’ and ‘Empire,’ Dies at 56
"Empire" television producer and writer Yolonda E. Lawrence died unexpectedly in Los Angeles Friday. She was 56.
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Yolonda E. Lawrence, Writer and Producer for ‘Riverdale’ and ‘Empire,’ Dies at 56 The 30-year TV veteran
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Yolonda E. Lawrence Dies: ‘Empire’, ‘Riverdale’, ‘The Good Wife’ Writer-Producer Was 56
Yolonda E. LawrenceAyana Simon
Veteran television writer and producer Yolonda E. Lawrence, who worked on such series as Empire, Riverdale, Bel-Air and The Good Wife among many others, has died. Lawrence passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 10 in Los Angeles, her agency CAA confirmed. She was 56.
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Born and raised in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights neighborhood, Lawrence discovered her passion for television writing after attending a taping of The Cosby Show with her mother.
Shortly after graduation from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1991, Lawrence moved to Los Angeles where she began her career as a production assistant and coordinator in shows including The Crew, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Relativity, and 413 Hope Street. Her big break came when she began assisting showrunners Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin (Chicago Hope, Judging Amy, The Education of Max Bickford). Under their mentorship, she learned the art and discipline of crafting stories that connect deeply with audiences—a lesson she carried throughout her career.In 2006, Lawrence landed her first staff writing job on the James Woods-led CBS drama Shark. Over the years, she became known for her heartfelt writing on numerous young adult dramas, including Lincoln Heights, Reaper, Star-Crossed, Witches of East End, and The Nine Lives of Chloe King. Her love for coming-of-age stories – especially those centered on identity and resilience – became a hallmark of her work.
Lawrence joined Empire in its fifth season in 2019, serving as co-executive producer for two seasons before being tapped to co-develop a spinoff starring Taraji P. Henson, alongside Danny Strong and Stacy A. Littlejohn, which ultimately did not move forward. She later worked as consulting producer on Showtime’s The First Lady, and as co-executive producer on Peacock’s Bel-Air and most recently BET’s Sistas.
Throughout her career, Lawrence was known not only for her creative excellence and sharp wit but also for her generosity of spirit.. A dedicated mentor to many, especially young Black creatives, she was deeply committed to helping others find their place in the industry.
Lawrence is survived by her mother Barbara Simon and siblings Ayana Simon and Craig Simon. A memorial service in Los Angeles is being planned for later this month.
Yolonda E. Lawrence, ‘Empire’ and ‘Riverdale’ Writer and Producer, Dies at 56
Lawrence also worked on series including ‘The First Lady,’ ‘Bel-Air’ and ‘Sistas.’
www.hollywoodreporter.com
Yolonda E. Lawrence, ‘Empire’ and ‘Riverdale’ Writer and Producer, Dies at 56
Lawrence also worked on series including ‘The First Lady,’ ‘Bel-Air’ and ‘Sistas.’BY RICK PORTER
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OCTOBER 15, 2025 5:07PM
Yolonda E. Lawrence AYANA SIMON
TV writer and producer Yolonda E. Lawrence, who worked on series including Fox’s Empire and The CW’s Riverdale, died unexpectedly in Los Angeles on Friday. She was 56.
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.
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 seeking a place in the industry.
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Lawrence is survived by her mother, Barbara Simon, and siblings Ayana Simon and Craig Simon. A memorial service is being planned for this month in Los Angeles.
R.I.P
Never knew there was a black writer behind "Riverdale"
Never knew there was a black writer behind "Riverdale"
Rip
R.I.P. sister 
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