Marlon Wayans

Marlon Wayans
Wayans in 2018
Born
Marlon Lamont Wayans

(1972-07-23) July 23, 1972 (age 51)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • writer
  • producer
Years active1988–present
Partner(s)Angela Zackery
(1992–2013)
Children2
FamilyWayans family

Marlon Lamont Wayans (born July 23, 1972) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his work with his brother Shawn Wayans on The WB sitcom The Wayans Bros. (1995–1999), and in the comedy films Don't Be a Menace (1996), Scary Movie (2000), Scary Movie 2 (2001), White Chicks (2004), Little Man (2006), and Dance Flick (2009).

Wayans has appeared in other films including Above the Rim (1994), The 6th Man (1997), Norbit (2007), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), The Heat (2013), A Haunted House (2013) and its sequel A Haunted House 2 (2014), Naked (2017), Fifty Shades of Black (2016), Sextuplets (2019), and On the Rocks (2020). Wayans had a dramatic role in the psychological drama film Requiem for a Dream (2000), which saw his departure from the usual comedies.

Wayans partnered with Randy Adams to create What the Funny, an online destination for urban comedy. He created the comedy competition television show Funniest Wins, which aired on TBS in 2014. In 2014, Wayans and his brothers traveled the U.S. with "The Wayans Brothers Tour". In 2017, he co-wrote and starred in his own NBC sitcom Marlon, which ran for two seasons.

Early life

Wayans was born in New York City, the son of Elvira Alethia (Green), a homemaker and social worker, and Howell Stouten Wayans, a supermarket manager. He was raised in Fulton Houses, a housing project in New York City, the youngest of ten siblings. He is the brother of Nadia, Shawn, Keenen Ivory, Damon, Dwayne, and Kim. His family were Jehovah's Witnesses. Wayans went to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City, the school made famous in Fame. After graduating from high school, he attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., but dropped out after two years.

Career

Between 1992 and 1993, Wayans appeared with his siblings on the sketch comedy show In Living Color. From 1995 until 1999, he co-starred in the WB sitcom The Wayans Bros. with his brother Shawn Wayans. He was originally considered for the role of Robin in the 1992 film Batman Returns, however it was felt that the film featured too many characters, so the character was omitted from that film. Wayans was then formally signed for the role in the 1995 sequel Batman Forever to play opposite Billy Dee Williams as Two-Face, but the mid-production change in directors from Tim Burton to Joel Schumacher would result in both parts being recast and Wayans being paid out (Williams was not yet signed on, but he received a penalty fee as his contract for Batman allowed him the option of reprise), for which he still receives some royalty payments to this day. He was replaced by Chris O'Donnell. In August 2021, a comic book adaptation of the original concept, Batman '89, began publication, by DC Entertainment, using Wayans' likeness for Robin with his permission, their civilian identity renamed Drake Winston.

Wayans produced the first two films of the Scary Movie series, in which he and Shawn were credited writers and co-stars. Those films were released in 2000 and 2001. In 2000, Wayans appeared as Tyrone C. Love in Requiem for a Dream and as Snails in Dungeons & Dragons. That same year, he and brother Shawn hosted the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. Wayans also produced the Nickelodeon cartoon series Thugaboo. In 2017, NBC gave him his own sitcom, Marlon, for a 10-episode run. In September 2017, Marlon got renewed for a second season by NBC, which is now available on Netflix.

Also in September 2017, Variety announced that Wayans would be partnering up with LA-based entertainment company Shots Studios to launch his own YouTube channel. He has appeared in videos alongside creators such as Anwar Jibawi and Hannah Stocking. In 2020, Wayans signed a deal with HBO Max.

Personal life

Wayans was in a long-term relationship with Angela Zackery from 1992 to 2013, and although he once referred to Zackery as his "ex-wife", Wayans remarked in 2021 that he had never married. They have two children: Kai Zackery Wayans (born 'Amai Zackery Wayans', May 24, 2000) and Shawn Howell Wayans (b. February 3, 2002). Wayans was close friends with rapper Tupac Shakur until his death in 1996. He is also a longtime friend of actor Omar Epps.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1988 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka Pedestrian
1992 Mo' Money Seymour Stewart
1994 Above the Rim Bugaloo
1996 Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood Loc Dog Also writer
1997 The 6th Man Kenny Tyler
1998 Senseless Darryl Witherspoon
2000 Requiem for a Dream Tyrone C. Love
Scary Movie Shorty Meeks Also writer
The Tangerine Bear Louie Blue (voice)
Dungeons & Dragons Snails
2001 Scary Movie 2 Shorty Meeks Also writer
2003 Tupac: Resurrection Himself
2004 Behind the Smile Danny Styles
The Ladykillers Gawain MacSam
White Chicks Marcus Copeland Also writer and producer
2005 Hubert Selby Jr.: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow Himself
2006 Little Man Calvin "Baby-face" Sims Also writer and producer
2007 Norbit Buster "Bust-A-Move" Perkin
2009 Dance Flick Mr Moody Also writer and producer
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Rip Cord
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy Himself
2010 Marmaduke Lightning
2012 Versus and Serena Himself
2013 A Haunted House Malcolm Johnson Also writer and producer
The Heat Special Agent Levy
2014 A Haunted House 2 Malcolm Johnson Also writer and producer
2016 Fifty Shades of Black Christian Black
2017 Naked Rob Anderson
2019 Sextuplets Alan / Russell / Ethan / Baby Pete / Lynette / Dawn / Jaspar
2020 On the Rocks Dean
2021 Respect Ted White
Back Home Again Mr. Tortoise Short
2022 The Curse of Bridge Hollow Howard Gordon Also producer
2023 Air George Raveling

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1991 The Best of Robert Townsend & His Partners in Crime Various TV special
1992–1993 In Living Color 20 episodes
1995–1999 The Wayans Bros. Marlon Williams 101 episodes
1996 The Parent 'Hood Himself Episode: "Ode to Billy Shankbreath"
Mr. Show with Bob and David KKK member Episode: "The Biggest Failure in Broadway History"
1996–1997 Waynehead Blue (voice) 6 episodes
1998 Comics Come Home 4 Himself TV movie
1999 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Bad Bobby (voice) Episode: "The Bremen Town Musicians"
2000 2000 MTV Video Music Awards Himself / Host TV special
MTV Fashionably Loud: Spring Break, Cancun 2000 Himself TV movie
2006 Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness (voice)
Six Degrees Homeless Guy Episode: "The Puncher"
Legends Ball Himself TV movie
Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-Roc's Street Dirty, Money (voice)
2011 Childrens Hospital Dr. Black Episode: "The Black Doctor"
2013 Second Generation Wayans Himself 2 episodes
Legit Doctor Episode: "Fatherhood"
2014 Funniest Wins Himself 8 episodes
2016 Animals. Ry-Ry (voice) Episode: "Squirrels Part I"
2017–2018 Marlon Marlon Wayne 20 episodes; also creator and executive producer
2019 Sherman's Showcase Episode: "Enemies"
2022 Bel-Air Lou Episode: "Where To?"
Marlon Wayans Presents: The Headliners Himself / Host
2022–present Oh Hell No! with Marlon Wayans
2023 Chucky Ronald Tyler
The Daily Show Guest Host 4 Episodes (Week of Mar 6)
God Loves Me Himself HBO Max Stand-up Special

This page was last updated at 2023-10-30 10:06 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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