Lavell Crawford is an American comedian and actor. He is recognized for his roles as Huell Babineaux in Breaking Bad (2011–2013) and its spin-off, Better Call Saul (2017–2022).
Early Life
Lavell Maurice Crawford was born on November 11, 1968, in St. Louis, Missouri, and spent his childhood in the nearby town of Pagedale. Crawford has two siblings, Elonda and Erica.
During his youth, he faced challenges with his weight and had a near-drowning incident at the age of ten.
He completed his education at Pattonville High School in 1986 and subsequently enrolled at Missouri Western State College to pursue a degree in computer science.
Lavell Crawford’s Career
Lavell Crawford started his career in television as a comedian in 1990, appearing in an episode of the variety show “It’s Showtime at the Apollo.”
He continued with several performances on the BET stand-up comedy show “ComicView.” Furthermore, Crawford was featured on the series “Def Comedy Jam” and “Motown Live” during the 1990s.
In the 2000s, he showcased his comedic skills on shows including “Premium Blend,” “Steve Harvey’s Big Time Challenge,” and “The Tom Joyner Show.”
In 2007, Crawford made one of his most notable television appearances as a contestant on the NBC reality competition series “Last Comic Standing.” Competing in the fifth season of the show, he secured second place behind Jon Reep.
Subsequently, Lavell Crawford headlined an episode of the stand-up series “Comedy Central Presents.” He then went on to appear in the parody show “Reality Bites Back” as well as the sitcom “Workaholics.”
Following years of being recognized mainly as a comedian, Crawford achieved his significant breakthrough as a dramatic actor in 2011.
During that year, he commenced portraying the recurring character of Huell Babineaux, the bodyguard of Saul Goodman, in the crime series “Breaking Bad.”
Crawford featured as this character in the final two seasons of the show; he subsequently reprised his role in the “Breaking Bad” spinoff series “Better Call Saul,” where he was present from 2017 until the show’s conclusion in 2022.
Among his various roles in television, Lavell Crawford has featured in shows including “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “The Crazy Ones,” “Super Fun Night,” and “New Girl.”
He has also voiced characters in several adult animated series, which include “Squidbillies,” “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” and “Legends of Chamberlain Heights.”
Crawford made his film debut in 1999, taking on the role of Lil Bit in “Beverly Hood.” He returned to this character in the 2004 direct-to-video film “Out on Parole.”
Subsequently, Lavell Crawford featured in “Baby’s Momma Drama,” “Friends and Lovers,” “Love Chronicles: Secrets Revealed,” “Who’s Watching the Kids,” and “What Goes Around Comes Around.” In 2014, he appeared in “4Play” and “For Love or Money.”
He also played a prisoner in “Boo! A Madea Halloween.” In 2020, Crawford joined Adam Sandler again for the Netflix mystery-comedy “Hubie Halloween,” where he was cast as Farmer Dave.
Net Worth
Lavell Crawford is an American actor, writer, and comedian with a net worth of $1.5 million. He is best known for his role as Huell Babineaux, the bodyguard in the crime series “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul.” As a comedian, he earned a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album for his 2021 special “Comedy Vaccine.”
