Chene Lawson
Chené Lawson-Peissig is an American writer, podcaster, and actor.
Lawson was born in Chicago, Illinois. She later moved to Los Angeles, where she trained at The Groundlings theater. In 2020, she wrote and hosted the speculative fiction podcast All Things Undone, which debuted at #7 on the Apple Podcasts Sci-Fi chart, and later reached #1. In 2023 the podcast won the Webby for Best Scripted Fiction Podcast. In 2025 Audible released the title as an audiobook, and then contracted Lawson to adapt two of N.K. Jemisin's short stories into an audiodrama, released in 2025 as Amorph. On television, she is best known for the role of Yolanda Hamilton, the derelict mother of Devon Hamilton on The Young and the Restless.
Podcasts
''How to Destroy Everything'' (2023)
How to Destroy Everything is a documentary podcast hosted by Danny Jacobs and Darren Grodsky about Danny’s father, Richard Jacobs—a man whose relentless manipulation and schemes left a trail of lawsuits, scams, and shattered lives. Through interviews and investigation, the series uncovers how one person’s destructive behavior devastated families, communities, and ultimately his own son, who describes the podcast as follows:Awards and recognition
- Nominated for the iHeartRadio Podcast Award for best emerging podcast.
- Webby Award Honoree for Best Documentary Podcast award.
Credits
- Production company: Aileron Podcast Studios
- Executive Producer & editor: Joel Peissig
- Creator/writer/director: Danny Jacobs & Chené Lawson
''All Things Undone'' (14 episodes, 2020–2021)
Awards and recognition
- Winner of the 2023 Webby award for Best Scripted Fiction Podcast.
- Awarded the Micheaux Film Festival Best Podcast award.
- Presented at the Film Life Foundation’s inaugural Social Justice Now Film Festival.
Credits
- Production company: Aileron Podcast Studio
- Starring: Chené Lawson, JoNell Kennedy, Shannon Holmes, Christen Sussin, Oscar Jordan, Micheal Marcelio, Korbin Miles, Dick Terhune, Kyla Garcia, Ari Fromm, Daniel Lench, Jonathan Tanigaki, Abraham Vasquez, Joel Seales, Ronald Braxton, Dexter Herron, Jimmy Cox, Sean-Michael Lawson, Kevin Robertson, Shawn Carter Peterson, Krystal McCulloch, Taylor Booth, Leshay Boyce, Roxanna Ortega
- Executive Producer: Joel Peissig
- Written by: Chené Lawson
- Directed by: Joel Peissig and Chené Lawson
Audiobooks
- All Things Undone
- * Narrated by Chené Lawson and full cast
- * Written by Chené Lawson
- * Executive producers: Joel Peissig and Chené Lawson
- Amorph
- * Written by N.K. Jemisin and Chené Lawson
- * Narrated by full cast
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
| 2000 | The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas | Kitty |
| 2002 | 100 Women | Tanya |
| 2004 | Hittin' It! | |
| 2005 | Hola! | |
| 2006 | Ogden: The Inappropriate Yoga Guy | Laura |
| 2008 | The Great Buck Howard | Law Student |
| 2011 | The Inheritance | Ancestor Lily |
| 2009 | The Devil's Tomb | Beautiful Woman |
| 2018 | Wednesday | Camille |
| 2021 | After Laughter | Gertrude |
| 2022 | Finger | Freya Burden |
| 2023 | Remedial | Emilia Dobson |
| 2023 | A Rosary and a Diamond Ring | Virginia |
Television
| Year | Title | Role |
| 1999 | Undressed | Lexy |
| 2000 | Ladies Man | Rachel |
| 2000 | Malcolm & Eddie | Leslie Sherman |
| 2001 | Providence | Singing Prostitute |
| 2002 | The Shield | Tyesha |
| 2002 | My Wife and Kids | Monica |
| 2004 | Punk'd | Self |
| 2005 | Entourage | Jenny |
| 2005–2024 | The Young and the Restless | List of [The Young and the Restless characters #Yolanda Hamilton|Yolanda Hamilton] |
| 2006 | Campus Ladies | Lisa |
| 2008 | Hollywood Residential | Self |
| 2015 | Not to Say | Dana |
| 2024 | Phoenix | Alina |