Lashana Lynch

American audiences were first introduced to actor Lashana Lynch when she took on the leading role of Rosaline on the Shonda Rhimes-produced period series "Still Star-Crossed" (ABC, 2017-). Born in London, England, Lynch was largely raised by her grandmother, who immigrated to the U.K. from Jamaica. Lynch's love of singing found her writing her own songs by the time she was 12, and later becoming a finalist in England's "Urban Voice" and "UK Unsigned" competitions. Meanwhile, Lynch's burgeoning love of acting motivated her to attend London's Arts Educational Schools. After graduating in 2010, she began appearing in plays and eventually landed her first film role, playing an Olympic athlete in "Fast Girls" (2012).

The role required her to train for four hours a day, five days a week, but Lynch was excited to meet the challenge. She next appeared in "Powder Room" (2013) the following year, before starring in a production of "Educating Rita" at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester. Lynch then landed a starring role on the series "Crims" (BBC, 2015) which unfortunately only ran for six episodes. Another break came in 2016 when she was cast as Ashanti in the crime drama "Brotherhood" (2016), shortly before being cast in the starring role on mega-hit writer and producer Shonda Rhimes' first period series, "Still Star-Crossed."