Lawson was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Denise (Gordy) and Richard Lawson, a soap opera actor.
Lawson started acting at the age of nine. She has appeared in television commercials for Barbie and Revlon and in several television shows. Most prominent of these being Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where she portrays Kendra Young, another Vampire Slayer who is awakened as a result of Buffy's (temporary) death in the first season finale. She has also appeared in Saved by the Bell: The New Class and films such as Save the Last Dance and Breakin' All the Rules.