Lawrence was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, the daughter of Karen, who runs a children's camp, and Gary Lawrence, who once owned a construction firm. She acted in church plays and, by the age of 14, had decided to pursue an acting career, persuading her parents to take her to New York City to find a talent agent. Although she had no training or experience, she received high praise from the agency for which she auditioned. She graduated from high school two years early in order to begin acting.
