Lance Gross is an American television star and model. He shot to stardom after being cast in a leading role on Tyler Perry’s sitcom House of Payne, which aired on TBS from 2007-12, and follows a multi-generational family living in Atlanta. He played the role of Calvin Payne, the only son of the main couple, Ella and Curtis. The series was revived in 2019, and he continues to star in it. He has also appeared in a guest role in the House of Payne spin-off The Paynes.
Born in Oakland, California, Gross had a passion for acting from a young age. After graduating from high school, he received a rigorous education in performing first from Howard University, and then went on to attend theatre schools The Ivanna Chubuck Studio and the Tasha Smith Acting Studio. The latter class was where he was discovered by Tyler Perry, with whom he would go on to establish a strong working partnership with in various sit-coms and movies.
As well his career in television, he has become a recognisable movie star, appearing in Perry’s rom-com Meet the Browns in 2008 and Our Family Wedding, opposite America Ferrera in 2010. His most recent projects have included the musical drama Star, which ran until 2019, and the film Dutch, which was released in November 2020. Additionally, he guest-starred on two episodes of the procedural drama Hawaii Five-o.