Shawn Fonteno
Shawn Darnell Fonteno, also known as Solo, is an American actor and rapper. He is best known for playing Franklin Clinton in the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V. He is the older cousin of American rapper Young Maylay, who played Carl "CJ" Johnson, the protagonist in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.[1] Fonteno was raised in Watts, Los Angeles. Aside from his portrayal of Franklin Clinton, Fonteno has acted in films such as The Wash.[2]
Shawn Fonteno | |
---|---|
Born | Shawn Darnell Fonteno Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Other names | Solo |
Occupation |
|
Years active | 1999–present |
Known for | Grand Theft Auto V (2013) |
Children | 1 |
Relatives | Young Maylay (cousin) |
In 2021, Fonteno and fellow Grand Theft Auto V actor Slink Johnson reprised their roles as Franklin Clinton and Lamar Davis respectively in a live-action re-enactment of a cutscene in the game where Lamar mocks Franklin for his haircut. The scene experienced a resurgence in popularity in late 2020 when parodies of the cutscene were uploaded on YouTube and other video hosting sites, usually involving Lamar's character model being replaced with various popular culture icons such as Darth Vader, Vegeta and Snow White among others.[3][4] Later that year, Fonteno and Johnson once again reprised their roles in The Contract DLC for Grand Theft Auto Online, which featured an homage to the original cutscene.[5]
Personal life
Fonteno has a daughter named Bria.[6]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | 3 Strikes | Big Mo | |
2001 | The Wash | Face | |
2017 | Grow House | Bam |
Video games
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Grove Street Families gang member | Voice – credited as "Solo" |
2013 | Grand Theft Auto V | Franklin Clinton | Voice and motion capture |
2021 | Grand Theft Auto Online: The Contract | ||
References
- IGN's GTA 5 Panel - NY Comic Con 2013, retrieved March 29, 2021
- Mitchell, Elvis (November 15, 2001). "FILM REVIEW; With Just a Hint of a Plot, Taking It Easy. Very Easy". The New York Times. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- Good, Owen S. (January 13, 2021). "GTA 5's 'Lamar roasts Franklin' meme goes IRL with original actors". Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- Boom, Daniel Van. "GTA V's dumbest meme re-created IRL with the game's actual actors". Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- "Lamar roasts Franklin again in GTA Online's The Contract update". Retrieved January 6, 2022.
- Fonteno, Bria (August 19, 2019). "GTA V SHAWN "SOLO" FONTENO FULL INTERVIEW". Fonteno Media. YouTube. Retrieved June 30, 2021.