Clayne Crawford Poised for Acting Comeback in First Major Role Since ‘Lethal Weapon’ Firing

Clayne Crawford returns to the screen on Monday in a new movie, The Killing of Two Lovers. The Lethal Weapon actor has been laying low since he was fired from the show, but this year he is poised for a comeback. Fans are itching to see this new movie, which premieres at Sundance Film Festival on Monday.

Crawford stars as David, a father struggling to keep his family together as he separates from his wife in The Killing of Two Lovers. The drama is written and directed by Robert Machoian, an indie filmmaker who has been making waves at Sundance for several years now, but this is his first feature-length film at the festival.

The movie is told from the perspective of David as he grapples with his separation from his wife, Nikki, played by Sepideh Moafi. The two agree to give each other space to figure out their new, platonic relationship, but David comes to realize that he does not want it.

Still, he does what Nikki asks in the hopes of keeping their four children together and happy. However, he becomes jealous of his wife’s new relationship, and protective of his nuclear family unit.

The movie is set in a “claustrophobically small town,” so the family’s lack of privacy plays into the tension. There is no word on where it is set, but based on the stills published by Sundance, it is somewhere cold and dark, as Crawford is pictured in warm gear for outdoor work.

It is clear from the pictures that this will be a solemn performance from Crawford, who wears a grim expression in the one photo of his face. His hair is long and his beard is unkempt in the film, so it is far from his time as Riggs on Lethal Weapon.

Crawford was fired from Lethal Weapon in May of 2018. At the time, it was reported that he had clashed with the cast and crew of the show, particularly while he was directing an episode himself. In a statement published by The Hollywood Reporter, Crawford apologized.

“I absolutely love, respect and care for my crew and cast, and would never intentionally jeopardize so many jobs,” Crawford wrote. “I an incredibly sorry if my passion for doing good work has ever made anyone feel less than comfortable on our set, or feel less than celebrated for their efforts. Furthermore, I apologize to all the crew and cast for any negative attention Lethal Weapon is receiving because of these incidents.”

In spite of these stories, Lethal Weapon fans were devastated by Crawford’s departure. Many were eagerly awaiting his next performance, and for some, The Killing of Two Lovers may be it. The movie premieres at Sundance on Monday and will be screening there again throughout the week. It is slated for a wider release in September.