Lavell Crawford
Crawford in April 2008
Birth nameLavell Maurice Crawford
Born (1968-11-11) November 11, 1968
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Medium
  • Standup comedy
  • television
Alma materMissouri Western State College
Years active1990–present
Websitecomedianlavellcrawford.com

Lavell Maurice Crawford (born November 11, 1968)[1] is an American comedian and actor, known for playing Huell Babineaux in Breaking Bad (2011–2013) and its spin-off Better Call Saul (2017–2022). He also played the role of Gus Patch in the Netflix original film The Ridiculous 6 (2015).[2] The album version of his 2021 Comedy Vaccine special was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.[3]

Early life

Crawford was born in Missouri and grew up in Pagedale, outside St. Louis.[1][4] He has two sisters, Elonda and Erica.[5] He struggled with his weight in childhood and experienced a near-drowning at age ten.[6] Crawford graduated from Pattonville High School in 1986 before attending Missouri Western State College, where he studied computer science.[5][6]

Career

Odenkirk (left) and Crawford as Saul and Huell during filming of the fourth season of Breaking Bad

Crawford began performing standup comedy professionally in 1990.[5] He frequently performed on BET's ComicView during the 1990s. He was a contestant on NBC's Last Comic Standing in 2007, where in the two-hour season finale he lost to Jon Reep. In 2011 at the Roberts Orpheum Theatre in St. Louis, he recorded Lavell Crawford: Can a Brother Get Some Love.

Crawford portrayed Saul Goodman's laconic bodyguard Huell Babineaux in the crime drama series Breaking Bad and its spinoff, Better Call Saul, from 2011 to 2022.[7] He also played Babineaux in Huell's Rules, a non-canonical comedy short set after the events of Breaking Bad.[8] Crawford has also appeared in comedic roles in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Tosh.0, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, and Aqua TV Show Show.

Personal life

Crawford's weight peaked in March 2016 at approximately 500 pounds (230 kg). After gastric sleeve surgery, his weight dropped to 298 pounds (135 kg) by August 2017.[9]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Beverly Hood Lil Bit
2004 Out on Parole Little Bit Video
Baby's Momma Drama
2005 Friends and Lovers Bobby Video
2010 Love Chronicles: Secrets Revealed Willie Video
2012 Who's Watching the Kids Jojo
What Goes Around Comes Around Pete the Postman Video
Trading Up: Behind the Green Door Barry Harris Short
2013 Je'Caryous Johnson's Marriage Material Bishop Luther Lance Love Jones
Huell's Rules Huell Babineaux Video Short
Sperm Boat Smokestack Television film
2014 4Play Tiko
For Love or Money Big Daddy
2015 American Ultra Big Harold
The Ridiculous 6 Gus Patch
2016 Meet the Blacks Parole Officer
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Keith
Boo! A Madea Halloween Prisoner #1
2018 Compton's Finest Bubbles
2019 Love Is Not Enough Brother Winters
2020 Hubie Halloween Farmer Dave
2021 On the Count of Three Donny
2022 Home Team Gus
Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm Street Tough Video

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1990 It's Showtime at the Apollo Himself Episode: "Episode #4.1"
1992–2004 ComicView Himself 4 episodes
1995 Def Comedy Jam Himself Episode: "Episode #5.8"
1998 Motown Live Himself Episode: "Episode #1.6"
2000 The Jamie Foxx Show Partygoer Episode: "Partner fo' Life"
2003–2006 Laffapalooza Himself 2 episodes
2004 Premium Blend Himself Episode: "Comedy Central's Premium Blend"
Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge Himself Episode: "Episode #2.4"
2005 The Tom Joyner Show Himself Episode: "Episode #1.10"
2007 Last Comic Standing Himself Season 5
2008 Comedy Central Presents Himself Episode: "Lavell Crawford"
Reality Bites Back Himself TV series
2009 My Parents, My Sister and Me Laverne Martin Episodes: "Home Alone: Parts 1 & 2"
2011 Workaholics Strip Club DJ Episode: "Dry Guys"
2011–2013 Breaking Bad Huell Babineaux Recurring cast: season 4, 5b; Guest: season 5a
2013 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Landslide Episode: "The Gang Broke Dee"
Squidbillies Judge Jammer Voice, episode: "Stop. Jammertime!"
The Crazy Ones Marvin Episode: "Models Love Magic"
2013–2015 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Unbelievable Ron, Chimp Alien Voice, 3 episodes
2014 Super Fun Night Antwan Episode: "Lil' Big Kim"
Biatches Additional Voices Voice
2015 Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell Psyklone Voice, episode: "Psyklone and the Thin Twins"
2016–2017 Legends of Chamberlain Heights LaDante Voice, main cast
2017 New Girl Trevlo Episode: "Operation: Bobcat"
2017–2022 Better Call Saul Huell Babineaux Guest: season 3, recurring cast: season 4–6

References

  1. 1 2 "Lavell Crawford". Allmusic. Retrieved October 25, 2022. Born November 11, 1968 in Missouri...Lavell Maurice Crawford.
  2. ↑ "Lavell Crawford". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  3. ↑ William, Chris; Aswad, Jem (November 23, 2021). "Grammy Awards Nominations 2022: The Complete List". Variety. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  4. ↑ Johnson, Kevin C. (July 17, 2020). "Funnyman Lavell Crawford Eases Back into Comedy Clubs". Go! Magazine. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 6.
  5. 1 2 3 Pennington, Gail (November 1, 2007). "Still Funny After 'Last Comic' Heartbreak". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. G4.
  6. 1 2 Fussell, James A. (August 23, 2007). "Lavell Getting Last Laughs". The Kansas City Star. p. E6.
  7. ↑ "'Breaking Bad' Q&A: Lavell Crawford Comes Clean on Huell". Rolling Stone. September 11, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Breaking Bad Huell: Vince Gilligan Reveals His Fate". /Film. May 15, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  9. ↑ Johnson, Kevin C. (August 11, 2017). "Holiday Homecoming". Go! Magazine. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 6.
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