Only a select group of actors ever make the leap to directing, and an even smaller number take on the challenge of directing projects they also star in. Spike Lee set the tone with She’s Gotta Have It, while Michael B. Jordan followed suit with Creed III, and Denzel Washington delivered an amazing dual performance in Fences (2016).
Martin Lawrence also took on both roles in the 1996 cult classic A Thin Line Between Love and Hate. But as he revealed in a recent interview, juggling the demands of acting and directing nearly broke him.
When asked if he’d ever direct another film, Lawrence didn’t hesitate: “Probably not,” he said in an interview on Shawn Stockman‘s On That Note YouTube series. “Because it was stressful. The one I did, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, that killed me. I almost didn’t make it through that movie.”
At the time, Lawrence wasn’t just wearing one hat, he had them all on. He was acting, directing, producing, and writing the movie. And while the film has since become a fan favorite, the process took a real toll on him.
“I was doing everything,” he explained. “And it was just too much, you know? To act in it and direct it… I almost didn’t make it through it.”
That level of responsibility, he admitted, was overwhelming. From picking camera angles to directing performances, coordinating with cinematographers, managing the set, and even choosing wall colors, every decision landed squarely on his shoulders. And it nearly drove him to the edge.
Despite everything that was going on behind the scenes, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate was a box office success and is still considered a classic. But the process behind the masterpiece wasn’t pretty, and it left a lasting impression on Lawrence.
When asked whether he’d be down for more television work, Lawrence said he’s open to it, but with conditions. “I would do another television show. I don’t know if it would be a sitcom. It depends on what the sitcom is and how good it is,” he said.
Between sitcoms and movies, though, he admits sitcoms can be more taxing in some ways. “With sitcoms, the timing is crazy, you only have a week to get the show together, learn your lines and blocking, and then you shoot it in front of a live audience, sometimes twice,” he explained. “Movies are easier in the sense that you shoot for a few months, then it’s done until promotion time.”
Whatever Martin Lawrence chooses to do, we will be right there waiting either buy our movie ticket or stream it!
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