Key Highlights
- Former child actor Steven Anthony Lawrence, best known for playing Beans on Disney Channel’s Even Stevens, competed on Fox’s game show The Floor.
- During the episode hosted by Rob Lowe, Lawrence called his portrayal of Bernard “Beans” Aranguren his favorite career role before exiting the competition.
- The appearance follows Lawrence’s public claim that Universal Studios Hollywood terminated his employment after he raised safety concerns, an allegation the theme park disputed.
From Disney Channel Stardom to Fox’s Game Show Arena
For audiences who grew up during the early 2000s, Disney Channel’s hit sitcom Even Stevens evokes immediate memories of the chaotic Louis Stevens, played by Shia LaBeouf, his perfectionist sister Ren, portrayed by Christy Carlson Romano, and their mother Eileen, played by Donna Pescow. Yet, few supporting figures left as distinct an impression as Bernard Aranguren, widely known to fans simply as “Beans.” Portrayed by Steven Anthony Lawrence, the character was the Stevens family’s eccentric neighbor who regularly barged into their residence demanding bacon, often joining Louis and Alan Twitty (A. J. Trauth) in their schemes only to double-cross them.
Lawrence, now 34, recently re-entered the television spotlight by competing on season five of the Fox game show The Floor, hosted by Rob Lowe. The competition format challenges contestants to face off in head-to-head trivia battles across a ‘giant LED floor divided into a hundred equal squares, each representing its own field of knowledge’, as per an official synopsis. During the broadcast on 20 May, Lawrence defeated a contestant named Morgan before eventually falling to another challenger named Anthony, missing out on the game’s $250,000 grand prize.
Reflecting on Iconic Roles and Recent Career Endeavors
While competing on The Floor alongside fellow notable participants such as former MLB pitcher Jonathan Pettibone, ex-WNBA basketball player Carolyn Swords, and Olympic sprinter Emmanuel Matadi, Steven Anthony Lawrence shared his affection for his early work. Lawrence stated that portraying Beans on Even Stevens remains his ‘favourite’ role across his decades in the entertainment industry.
Beyond his tenure on Even Stevens from 2001 to 2003, Lawrence built a prolific catalog as a young performer, securing credits on Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show, Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven, and feature films including Cheaper by the Dozen and Bratz. Lawrence has continued to pursue acting, recently securing a role in an episode of Bad Therapist.
Controversy Surrounding Universal Studios Hollywood Departure
Lawrence’s recent media appearance follows public allegations he leveled earlier this year regarding his employment at Universal Studios Hollywood, where he worked as a ‘performing and dancing’ member of the entertainment division. In a post published to Instagram, Lawrence claimed his position was terminated after ‘reporting a suspected pedofile [sic] around children’. He noted he had been ‘delayed posting this for about a month because [he] was hoping we could find some sort of amicable solution’ regarding the matter.
Lawrence publicly addressed the departure on his social media account, stating: “It is with a heavy heart I have to announce that my time with Universal Studios has ended,” he said.”While I will truly miss my job I cannot be associated with an organization or people that don’t care about performer or guest safety while numerous people continue to get hurt.”
Universal Studios Hollywood promptly rejected Lawrence’s version of events. In a statement provided to Entertainment Weekly, a park spokesperson responded: “We have investigated and reviewed the concerns brought forward by this former employee and they were found to be inaccurate and without merit.“We take all employee concerns seriously and have established processes for raising any concerns without fear of retaliation.”
Why This Matters
Steven Anthony Lawrence’s return to network television underscores the enduring nostalgia surrounding early-2000s Disney Channel programming, where character actors like Lawrence shaped memorable pop culture moments alongside stars like Shia LaBeouf. At the same time, the juxtaposition of his game show appearance with recent public disputes highlights the unpredictable trajectories faced by former child performers navigating adult careers in live performance, studio theme parks, and contemporary media.
Frequently Asked Questions
What role is Steven Anthony Lawrence best known for?
Lawrence is best recognized for portraying Bernard “Beans” Aranguren, the bacon-loving neighbor on the Disney Channel series Even Stevens, which aired from 2001 to 2003.
How did Steven Anthony Lawrence perform on The Floor?
Competing on the 20 May broadcast of Rob Lowe’s game show The Floor, Lawrence defeated a contestant named Morgan before being eliminated by a contestant named Anthony, falling short of the $250,000 top prize.
What happened between Steven Anthony Lawrence and Universal Studios Hollywood?
Lawrence claimed on social media that he was dismissed from his entertainment role at the theme park after raising safety concerns. A Universal Studios Hollywood spokesperson denied the claim, stating an internal investigation found his allegations “to be inaccurate and without merit.”
