Lane Lovegrove ’96

By Baker Maultsby and Samantha Wagner

This article appeared originally in the Fall 2018 issue of Frontiers Magazine. 

Lane Lovegrove appreciates the liberal arts ethos and the space college provides for self-development. “Colleges teach the broad strokes that prepare students to do what they want with their career. When you enter college you know what you are interested in, but you don’t know what you want to spend your energy doing.”

For Lovegrove that interest was the theater, and Spartanburg Methodist the place he learned to embrace his “acting bug.” At SMC Lovegrove was involved in a variety of projects under drama professor Kent Newberry. He performed in works such as “The Absent-Minded Professor” and “The Little Shop of Horrors,” and fondly recalls partnering with Converse on various projects. “The College was a unique place that nurtured creativity while preparing students to venture into the adult world,” he says.

Since his time in theater class, Lovegrove has completed a degree from Winthrop and worked for the College in its social-behavioral science lab. He also launched his own freelance acting career. His first opportunity came with the movie “Dear John,” where he was cast as a background actor. He remembers the experience vividly. It was around Thanksgiving. He filmed during the holiday break, ate a rushed dinner with his family, and returned to the Upstate of South Carolina for work on Monday.

Since then, he has done a variety of different projects. He has performed as Robert Joyner in “Paper Towns” and has appeared in multiple TV series, including “Murder Calls” and “Final Appeals.” Lately, his acting has focused on small independent films and commercial work for companies in Charlotte and Atlanta. Some of his latest projects include an independent feature film made in Columbia called “Azrael” and a horror film called “What Becomes of Us,” which is currently circulating the film festival circuit.

Lovegrove’s acting career has taught him much about life, career management, and the importance of family. He encourages young actors to pursue acting classes or a business degree. “As an actor you are your own small company. You need to know how to manage your skills and create a good headshot, castability sheet, and demo reel. It’s important to know how to market who you are to interested casting groups.”

Lovegrove’s advice extends to an emphasis on work-life balance. Right now, he prioritizes time with his fiancee and young family as they build a life in North Carolina. He recognizes that travel to the larger cities, which have more frequent acting roles, would take away from precious daily moments at home. Instead of living life on the road, he stays sharp by attending classes, networking, and continuing to learn all that he can about the trade. As he says, “You never know when the next opportunity will come around.”