Lauren London is an actress and TV star, but did she go to college?
Rather than attending college, Lauren London decided to focus on her acting career. From tenth grade, she was homeschooled, which allowed her to attend auditions.
Read more about Lauren London’s story below.
Childhood
Lauren London was born in California in 1984. Her mother was African American, while her father was a caucasian Jewish man.
Following her parents’ separation, she was brought up predominantly with her mother. As the child of both black and white parents, she struggled with her identity growing up, with some of her family joking that she was too pale, while her peers would comment on her dark skin.
She went to Palisades Charter High School, but dropped out in tenth grade, instead choosing to be homeschooled. “I only went to home study from tenth to twelfth grade,” she told an interviewer.
“I grew up in an LA high school district and I did theater and I did drama, but I don’t know any other way to do it.”
London describes mischievous teenage years. Asked how she related to a character she was playing, she responded, “I remember being that way at 17 and rebelling against what everyone wanted me to be and who I thought I wanted to be.”
Acting Career
Lonon began her acting career by appearing in commercials and music videos, including songs for high profile artists including Jay-Z and Tyrese.
She bagged her first TV role in 2006 as Monay, a character in an episode of ‘Everybody Hates Chris’. Her breakout role came in the same year when she portrayed Erin Garnett in ‘ATL’.
The following year, she starred in the festive rom-com ‘This Christmas’.
As a friend of Khloe Kardashian, she appeared in a 2009 episode of the reality show ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’. The two have a years-long friendship and London was a bridesmaid at the Kardashian’s wedding with Lamar Odom, though they are rumored to have had a falling out that ended their friendship.
In the same year, she also featured in the movies ‘Next Day Air’ and ‘I Love You, Beth Cooper’.
In 2013, she was cast as Kiera in the dramatic comedy series ‘The Game’, a role she remained in for two years. In 2019, she joined the new TV series ‘Games People Play’, playing Vanessa.
Personal Life
In approximately 2000, London met the rapper Lil Wayne, and the two began a relationship. The couple was together for several years in an on-off relationship but ultimately split.
“I met [Lil Wayne] when I was 15 years old,” London said of their relationship. “I’ve known him for a very long time, and we were in a relationship that didn’t make it. We tried more than once to revive it, and we were engaged briefly years ago, but we eventually parted ways.”
The two share a son together named Kameron, and there appear to be no hard feelings between London and Lil Wayne. “My son’s father is an intelligent, loving, and loveable person who will always be a dear friend,” London said.
In 2013, she began talking to the rapper Nipsey Hussle on Instagram, initially because she was trying to grab a limited edition of a mixtape to gift to her friends. The two began a relationship and had a son, Kross Asghedom, together.
In 2019, Nipsey Hussle was murdered by a shooter in Los Angeles. Following his death, London shared an emotional message on Instagram.
She wrote, “I am completely lost. I’ve lost my best friend, my sanctuary, my protector, my soul… I’m lost without you. We are lost without you babe. I have no words.”
One year after his death, she paid tribute to the late rapper, saying “the pain is as heavy today as it was a year ago.” She says she enjoys meeting people who admired the rapper, explaining “I love to meet people that Nip has really inspired, because it feels like he’s still here.”
“It’s like his purpose that was completely outside of any of us…it’s like he’s touching people still.”