‘It is so good to be home!:’ NC native Sharon Lawrence crowned Queen Azalea

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Actress and North Carolina native Sharon Lawrence was officially crowned Queen Azalea on Wednesday, marking the commencement of the 77th North Carolina Azalea Festival.

“I’m such a proud North Carolinian. The pride that I have in how North Carolina launched me because of their commitment to performing arts,” said Lawrence. “To be a founding member of the North Carolina Theater has been a great source of pride because we invest in our youth, we invest in the arts, and we invest in our business owners, and we invest in our universities and our higher education.”

Claiming both Raleigh and Charlotte as her hometowns, Lawrence grew up in the North Carolina public school system and later earned a degree in journalism from UNC Chapel Hill in 1983. Her career boasts numerous film and TV credits, including roles in “Joe Pickett,” “NYPD Blue,” and “One Tree Hill.”

“Not only have I come here to work, but my uncle Joe Purcell was a DJ for the classical radio station WHQR. I drove down in a car from Raleigh that was his. I was thinking about him a lot on the way here,” Lawrence shared, reflecting on her ties to the area.

Representing the state of North Carolina and the Azalea Festival is an honor for Lawrence. She emphasized the significance of the festival’s history and its connection to the Cape Fear area, describing it as a culmination of its community.

“It’s all of us who have come to play, to work, to study. To be here and represent a 77th year feels like such an honor but also a chance for me to get a chance to know the town and the people even better and to maybe even stay even more of my future here,” said Lawrence. “I do hope I get to take some azaleas back with me because they do grow in California.”

For a full list of events for the North Carolina Azalea Festival, click here.