Bianca Lawson Shares the Powerful Advice Emma Thompson Gave Her as a Teen on Set of "Primary Colors" (Exclusive) Jordan GreeneNovember 8, 2025 at 1:33 AM 0 TheStewartofNY/WireImage; Jeff Spicer/Getty Bianca Lawson and Emma Thompson Bianca Lawson is taking a trip down memory lane At Glamour's Women of the Year event, the actress opened up about a memorable moment early in her career with Emma Thompson She says now, decades later, the advice and guidance from the Oscarwinning actress continues to resonate Bianca Lawson is taking a trip down memory lane. On Nov.
- - Bianca Lawson Shares the Powerful Advice Emma Thompson Gave Her as a Teen on Set of "Primary Colors" (Exclusive)
Jordan GreeneNovember 8, 2025 at 1:33 AM
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TheStewartofNY/WireImage; Jeff Spicer/Getty
Bianca Lawson and Emma Thompson
Bianca Lawson is taking a trip down memory lane
At Glamour's Women of the Year event, the actress opened up about a memorable moment early in her career with Emma Thompson
She says now, decades later, the advice and guidance from the Oscar-winning actress continues to resonate
Bianca Lawson is taking a trip down memory lane.
On Nov. 4, at Glamour's Women of the Year event at The Plaza Hotel, the 46-year-old actress opened up about a moment early in her career that left a lasting mark. During the filming of the 1998 film Primary Colors at just 17, Lawson says she found herself spending quiet moments in the trailer of Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson, 66.
In Primary Colors, Emma Thompson plays Susan Stanton, the suffering wife of a Southern governor, played by John Travolta, running for president. Meanwhile, Lawson plays Loretta, a character navigating the political world.
"She would do yoga in her trailer and have me sit there while she gave me life advice," Lawson recalls to PEOPLE exclusively. "'Never let them put you on a diet,' she told me. It was empowering — just to be true to yourself, not to buckle to shallow pressures and to remember that your mind is the most important thing."
Thompson didn't just offer words of encouragement; she also penned Lawson a beautiful poem, a gesture the actress still cherishes. "I don't have it anymore, but I think about it all the time," Lawson says. "I wish I did, if I did, I would post it on Instagram and say, 'Oh my God, you're amazing.'"
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Emma Thompson, John Travolta Primary Colors
Even decades later, the advice and guidance from Thompson continue to resonate with Lawson, a reminder of the rare kindness and mentorship she received early on in an industry not always known for nurturing young talent.
"It was such a special moment," Lawson says, smiling. "And it's something I carry with me to this day."
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Bianca Lawson at NYCB Fall Fashion Gala at New York City Ballet on October 08, 2025 in New York, New York.
During the interview, the former Pretty Little Liars actor reflected on the role her family has played throughout her career, which was especially meaningful navigating a career as a child actor.
"My aunt Glen, she was someone I really looked up to," Lawson says. "She passed away when I was 12, but she was one of those magical people who always made me feel looked after, always made me feel protected. She remembered everything, every little moment that was important to me — she remembered so far into the future."
"I think when you have that, it makes you go out into the world with so much confidence because you know that you have someone who loves you so much and is always waiting for you," she adds.
"My mother was with me all the time, and it's really special to have parents who genuinely have your best interest at heart, especially when they're protecting you," she continues. "That kind of support has shaped who I am, both on and off the screen."
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Source: Entertainment
Published: November 07, 2025 at 06:45PM on Source: RON MAG
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