Lonnie Chavis bio: Who plays the younger Randall on This Is Us?
Lonnie Chavis is a young American actor known for his role on the award winning NBC drama series This Is Us. In the show, Lonnie plays young Randall, that is, the younger version of Sterling K. Brown's character. While Lonnie is an extremely talented actor (his tearjerker scenes in This Is Us will have you crying), there is much more to this young man. Here is his story.
Source: Getty Images
Lonnie is not yet a teenager, but at his young age, he has managed to move masses with his acting and has even spoken out against racism and bullying. The young actor, just like his on-screen character Randall Pearson in This Is Us, is compassionate and ready to make a difference in the world.
Here is all you need to know about Randall This Is Us actor.
Lonnie Chavis profile summary
- Also known as: Lonnie Chavis II
- Date of birth: Nov 23, 2007
- Birthplace: Downey, California, USA
- Lonnie Chavis age: 12 years old
- Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
- Height: 4' 8½" (1.44 m)
- Weight: 50 kg
- Eye colour: Dark brown
- Hair colour: Dark brown
- Occupation: Actor, voiceover artist, dancer, and social media personality
- Current residence: Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States
- Father: Lonnie Chavis, Sr.
- Mother: Najah Chavis
- Siblings: Andrew, Tyler, and Ryan Chavis
Background
Lonnie Chavis was born in Southern California on 23rd November 2007. He was born into the family of Lonnie Chavis Sr. and Najah Chavis, and he has three younger brothers.
Source: Getty Images
Career progression
When he was just 4 years old, Lonnie showed an interest in acting when he pointed to the television and told his mother that he wanted to go "there".
When Lonnie was 6, his mother began submitting him for modelling and commercial opportunities, and it was then that a theatrical agent discovered him.
Who plays Randall as a child on This Is Us?
At the age of 9, Lonnie landed his first recurring role on NBC's hit dramedy series This Is Us. In the show, Lonnie plays the younger version of Emmy Award-winning actor Sterling K. Brown's character, Randall Pearson. This role has earned him the moniker young Randall This Is Us.
Source: Getty Images
Randall Pearson is Jack and Rebecca's adopted son and Kate and Kevin's adopted brother in the family comedy-drama television series, which also features stars like Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, Justin Hartley, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Alexandra Breckenridge.
Movies and TV shows
As per his IMDb page, Lonnie has 18 acting credits to his name. This Is Us Randall actor has featured in the following movies and TV shows:
- 2016-2020 - This Is Us - 12-year-old Randall / 10-year-old Randall / 11-year-old Randall / ...
- 2020 - The Boy Behind the Door - Bobby
- 2020 - The Water Man - Gunner
- 2020 - Magic Camp - Cameron
- 2020 - God Friended Me - C.J.
- 2019 - ¡Viva la Revolución! - Tim
- 2019 - Sunny Daze - Sean
- 2019 - Kevin Hart's Guide to Black History - Robert Smalls' Son
- 2018 - Skin - Bronny
- 2018 - The Thundermans - Gilly
- 2018 - The 5th Quarter - Fetus Jones
- 2017 - White Famous - Trevor
- 2017 - Supergirl - Marcus
- 2017 - Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure - Additional Voices
- 2016 - We Home - Ben
- 2015 - Bella and the Bulldogs - Young Troy
- 2015 - Tortoise - Trick or Treater
- 2014 - What Showers Bring - Jude
Source: Getty Images
Awards and nominations
The young actor has 2 award wins and 2 nominations to his name. They include:
BET Awards
- 2018 - BET Award - YoungStars Award - nominated
Gold Derby Awards
- 2018 - Ensemble of the Year - This Is Us (2016) - nominated
Image Awards (NAACP)
- 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 - Image Award - Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series) for his role in This Is Us (2016) - nominated.
MTV Movie + TV Awards
- 2017 - Tearjerker - This Is Us (2016). The award was shared with Milo Ventimiglia. - Won
Screen Actors Guild Awards
- 2018 - Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series - This Is Us (2016) - Won
Where does Lonnie Chavis live?
Lonnie lives in Long Beach, CA with his parents and siblings.
Source: Getty Images
Other facts about Lonnie Chavis
- In 2018, he posted a video on Instagram about being bullied for having a gap in his teeth. Since then, he has launched a campaign, IGTV show and hashtag, #FixYourHeart, to help others fight against bullies.
- In June 2020, Chavis wrote a heartfelt, powerful essay in People magazine, in which he details the various forms of racism, intimidation, and stress he has either witnessed or personally experienced in his short life. The essay started as a letter to his mom about growing up in the U.S. as a Black boy and struggling to find words to reflect his feelings about the tragic death of George Floyd. At the end of the essay, Lonnie writes,
If you don’t understand what’s going on in the world, then understand this: This is what the world looks like for me. A 12-year-old Black boy. This is my America. Policies need to change, laws need to change, the police need to change, Hollywood needs to change, hearts need to change, America needs to change. Change has got to happen for unarmed Black citizens to not live in fear of being murdered. Can you imagine being me in 2020 and wondering what the future holds? I can’t
Source: Getty Images
- As an 8-year-old, Lonnie escaped masked kidnappers in Long Beach, California.
Just like his on-screen character Randall Pearson in This Is Us, Lonnie Chavis is an ambitious individual ready to effect social change and make the world a better place.
READ ALSO: Ryan Reynolds biography: Age, height, net worth, wife, kids
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Source: Legit.ng
