From a hardened criminal turned tournament combatant to a delusional patient of a psychiatrist, and a
Harvard graduate who specializes in numerical analysis, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, director,
producer, and actor Josh Lawson has brought captivating characters and compelling projects to life on screen
for over a decade, solidifying himself as “one to watch” as not only an actor but as a filmmaker.
This year Lawson can be seen starring as rogue mercenary Kano in Warner Bros’ action-adventure feature
film, “Mortal Kombat.” Directed by Simon McQuaid and produced by James Wan (“Aquaman”), the film follows
Cole Young (Lewis Tan), a young MMA fighter who embarks on a journey to unlock his supernatural abilities to
save his family, and stop the evil powers of the Outworld. During his quest he aligns himself with experienced
warriors; Kano (Lawson), Liu Kang, and Kung Lao, as they prepare to stand with Earth’s greatest champions in
a high stakes battle for the universe. “Mortal Kombat" will be released simultaneously in theaters worldwide,
and on HBO Max April 16, 2021.
In addition to “Mortal Kombat,” Lawson will return to comedy in the indie feature “Long Story
Short” (StudioCanal). The film, which Lawson penned, directed, and stars in, tells the story of a man named
Teddy who wakes up the morning after his wedding to discover that every few minutes he’s jumping forward to
the next year of his life. “Long Story Short” will debut in Australia on February 11, 2021. Lawson will also star
opposite Simon Baker and Yael Stone in the upcoming drama “Blaze” (Causeway Films) which is currently in
post production.
An accomplished writer and director, in 2018 Lawson was nominated for his first Academy Award in the Best
Live Action Short Film category, for “The Eleven O’Clock.” The short film, which Lawson directed, wrote, and
starred in entertained audiences as they watched a delusional patient of a psychiatrist believing he is actually
the psychiatrist. The film spent nearly two years screening at festivals, gaining traction and rave reviews while
showcasing Lawson’s unique brand of comedy.
In 2014 Lawson made his directorial debut with “The Little Death,” which he concurrently wrote, and starred in.
The film, which tells the story of the secret lives of five suburban couples living in Sydney, was met with critical
acclaim, winning the Audience Award, Narrative Spotlight at the 2015 SXSW Film Festival, the Audience
Award, Open Horizons at the Thessaloniki Film Festival, and procuring dozens of nominations at the Australian
Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards, the Australian Film Critics Association Awards, the
Australian Writers’ Guild, the Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards, and The São Paulo International Film
Festival. Additional film credits for Lawson include starring as James Murdoch in Lionsgate’s 2019 drama
feature “Bombshell” opposite Margot Robbie, Nicole Kidman, and Charlize Theron, “Anchorman 2: The Legend
Continues” (Paramount Pictures) opposite Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, and Paul Rudd, festival darling “Becoming
Bond” (Delirio Films, Hulu) and “The Campaign” (Warner Bros) alongside Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis.
On the television front Lawson is best known for his starring role as Doug Guggenheim on Showtime’s award
winning, critically acclaimed series “House of Lies.” For five seasons Lawson captivated audiences as the
brilliant, quintessential math geek Doug, alongside Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle, Kristin Bell, and
Ben Schwartz. Lawson also recently appeared on the hit NBC comedy series “Superstore” as Tate.
Lawson was born and raised in Brisbane, and attended St. Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace. He graduated
from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, and studied in Los Angeles at The Second City, The Groundlings,
ACME Comedy Theatre and I.O. West. While working in film and television keeps Lawson busy, he recently
took on the title of poet, publishing his first book of poetry entitled Struggling Heartist (March 2020). Lawson
published his debut children’s book Shoo Grumpers Shoo! in 2018, and will release “The InterNOT” later this
year. Lawson currently splits his time between Queensland and Los Angeles, and enjoys traveling the world
with his dog, Moose.
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