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Marlon Wayans

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Marlon Wayans
Wayans in 2018
Born
Marlon Lamont Wayans

(1972-07-23) July 23, 1972 (age 52)
New York City, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • writer
  • producer
Years active1988–present
Partner(s)Angela Zackery
(1992–2013)
Children3
FamilyWayans family

Marlon Lamont Wayans[1] (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). He also had several dramatic roles, including the 2000 psychological drama film Requiem for a Dream.

Wayans partnered with Randy Adams to create What the Funny, an online destination for urban comedy.[2][3] He created the comedy competition television show Funniest Wins, which aired on TBS in 2014.[4] In 2014, Wayans and his brothers traveled the U.S. with "The Wayans Brothers Tour".[5] In 2017, he co-wrote and starred in the NBC sitcom Marlon, which ran for two seasons.[6]

Early life

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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.[7] 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.[8][9] 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.[10]

Career

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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,[11] but it was felt that the film featured too many characters, so his character was omitted. Wayans was then formally signed to 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 resulted in both parts being recast and Wayans being paid out (Williams was not yet signed on, but received a penalty fee as his contract for Batman allowed him the option of reprise), and he still receives royalty payments. 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's likeness for Robin with his permission, their civilian identity renamed Drake Winston.[12]

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 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 was renewed for a second season. It is now available on Netflix.

Also in September 2017, Variety announced that Wayans would partner with LA-based entertainment company Shots Studios to launch a YouTube channel.[13] He has appeared in videos alongside creators such as Anwar Jibawi and Hannah Stocking. In 2020, Wayans signed a deal with HBO Max.[14]

Personal life

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Wayans was in a long-term relationship with Angela Zackery from 1992 to 2013, and although he once called her his "ex-wife", he said in 2021 that he had never married.[15][16] They have two children.[17][18] Wayans also shares a child with his former girlfriend, Brittany Moreland.[19] Wayans was a close friend of rapper Tupac Shakur.[20] He is also a longtime friend of actor Omar Epps.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Actor Writer Producer Role Notes
1988 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka Yes No No Pedestrian
1992 Mo' Money Yes No No Seymour Stewart
1994 Above the Rim Yes No No Bugaloo
1996 Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood Yes Yes No Loc Dog
1997 The 6th Man Yes No No Kenny Tyler
1998 Senseless Yes No No Darryl Witherspoon
2000 Requiem for a Dream Yes No No Tyrone C. Love
Scary Movie Yes Yes No Shorty Meeks
The Tangerine Bear Yes No No Louie Blue (voice)
Dungeons & Dragons Yes No No Snails
2001 Scary Movie 2 Yes Yes No Shorty Meeks
2003 Tupac: Resurrection Yes No No Himself Documentary
2004 Behind the Smile Yes No No Danny Styles
The Ladykillers Yes No No Gawain MacSam
White Chicks Yes Yes Yes Marcus Copeland
2005 Hubert Selby Jr.: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow Yes No No Himself Documentary
2006 Little Man Yes Yes Yes Calvin "Baby-face" Sims
2007 Norbit Yes No No Buster "Bust-A-Move" Perkin
2009 Dance Flick Yes Yes Yes Mr Moody
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Yes No No Rip Cord
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy Yes No No Himself
2010 Marmaduke Yes No No Lightning
2012 Versus and Serena Yes No No Himself Documentary
2013 A Haunted House Yes Yes Yes Malcolm Johnson
The Heat Yes No No Special Agent Levy
2014 A Haunted House 2 Yes Yes Yes Malcolm Johnson
2016 Fifty Shades of Black Yes Yes Yes Christian Black
2017 Naked Yes Yes Yes Rob Anderson
2019 Sextuplets Yes Yes Yes Alan / Russell / Ethan / Baby Pete / Lynette / Dawn / Jaspar
2020 On the Rocks Yes No No Dean
2021 Respect Yes No No Ted White
Back Home Again Yes No No Mr. Tortoise Short film
2022 The Curse of Bridge Hollow[21] Yes No Yes Howard Gordon
2023 Air Yes No No George Raveling

Television

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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 The Daily Show[22] Guest Host 4 Episodes (Week of Mar 6)
God Loves Me Himself HBO Max Stand-up Special

References

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  1. ^ "Marlon Wayans: 25 Things You Don't Know About Me". usmagazine.com. April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
  2. ^ "Marlon Wayans Launching Urban Funny or Die". Hollywoodreporter.com. June 26, 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  3. ^ "What The Funny". What The Funny. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  4. ^ "Marlon Wayans' TBS series 'Funniest Wins' unveils comedian competitors". laughspin.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  5. ^ "The Wayans Brothers Kick Off Brand-New Comedy Tour in U.S." goodblacknews.org. July 21, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  6. ^ Ausiello, Michael. "Marlon Cancelled at NBC". Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  7. ^ "Keenen Ivory Wayans' Interactive Family Tree - Finding Your Roots - PBS". PBS. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  8. ^ Stein, Joel. (September 11, 2000) Marlon Wayans. Time. Retrieved on 2012-04-08.
  9. ^ Stated on Finding Your Roots, January 19, 2016, PBS
  10. ^ "Marlon Wayans". Biography.com. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  11. ^ Rabin, Nathan. (February 25, 1998) Marlon Wayans. The A.V. Club. Retrieved on 2012-04-08.
  12. ^ Mueller, Matthew (March 9, 2016). "Batman '89 Series Would Have Picked Up Where Tim Burton Left Off". Yahoo!. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  13. ^ Spangler, Todd (September 7, 2018). "Marlon Wayans Launches YouTube Sketch-Comedy Channel With Shots Studios (Watch)". Variety. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  14. ^ "Marlon Wayans Inks Overall Deal With HBO Max | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. June 25, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  15. ^ Victoria Uwumarogie (March 1, 2018). ""I Got You": Marlon Wayans's B-Day Message For Former Wife Shows What A Healthy Relationship With Your Ex Can Be". MadameNoire. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  16. ^ Brande Victorian (August 19, 2021). "Marlon Wayans On 'RESPECT' And Why He Never Married: 'I Knew My Mom Needed Me'". Essence. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  17. ^ Falen Hardge (November 13, 2023). "Marlon Wayans Shares How He Learned To Embrace His Trans Son, Kai". BET. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  18. ^ Stephanie Kaloi (November 15, 2023). "All About Marlon Wayans' Two Kids and His 'Unconditional Love' for Them". Parade. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  19. ^ Danielle Young (March 21, 2024). "Marlon Wayans Slams 'Entitled' Baby Mother After New Paternity Suit". BET. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  20. ^ Thompson, Stephen (June 17, 2020). "Marlon Wayans and Snoop Dogg Honor Tupac on What Would Have Been His 49th Birthday". news.amomama.com. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  21. ^ "New movies coming to Netflix in fall". whats-on-netflix.com. July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  22. ^ "The Daily Show Guest Host Lineup". Comedy Central. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
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