Marlon Wayans
American actor and producer (born 1972)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marlon Lamont Wayans[1] (/ˈweɪ.ənz/ WAY-ənz; born July 23, 1972) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known for his work with his brother Shawn Wayans on The WB sitcom The Wayans Bros. (1995–1999) and 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).
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July 23, 1972
- Actor
- comedian
- writer
- producer
Marlon Wayans | |
|---|---|
Wayans in 2018 | |
| Born | Marlon Lamont Wayans July 23, 1972 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Partner | Angela Zackery (1992–2013) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives |
|
| Family | Wayans family |
Wayans' other film credits include 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 psychological drama film Requiem for a Dream (2000), the biographical musical drama Respect (2021), and the supernatural horror Him (2025).
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 United States 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
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 Dwayne, Keenen Ivory, Damon Sr., Kim, Elvira, Nadia, and Shawn. 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
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]
Wayons film roles include the comedies Don't Be a Menace (1996), Scary Movie (2000), Scary Movie 2 (2001), White Chicks (2004), Little Man (2006), and Dance Flick (2009), and 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 produced the first two films of the Scary Movie series, in which he and Shawn were credited writers and co-stars. In 2000, he 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.
In 2006, Wayans produced the Nickelodeon cartoon series Thugaboo. In 2017, NBC gave him his own sitcom, Marlon; it was canceled after two seasons.[13][14][15]
In September 2017, Variety announced that Wayans would partner with LA-based entertainment company Shots Studios to launch a YouTube channel.[16] He has appeared in videos alongside creators such as Anwar Jibawi and Hannah Stocking. In 2020, Wayans signed a deal with HBO Max.[17]
Personal life
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.[18][19] They have two children, one of whom is transgender. In 2023, Wayans expressed support for his trans son and the LGBTQ community.[20][21] Wayans also shares a child with his former girlfriend, Brittany Moreland.[22] Wayans was a close friend of rapper Tupac Shakur.[23] He is also a longtime friend of actor Omar Epps.[24]
Filmography
| † | Denotes productions that have not yet been released |
Film
| Year | Movie | Character | 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 co-writer |
| 1997 | The 6th Man | Kenny Tyler | |
| 1998 | Senseless | Darryl Witherspoon | |
| 2000 | Requiem for a Dream | Tyrone C. Love | |
| Scary Movie | Shorty Meeks | Also co-writer | |
| The Tangerine Bear | Louie Blue | Voice; direct-to-video | |
| Dungeons & Dragons | Snails | ||
| 2001 | Scary Movie 2 | Shorty Meeks | Also co-writer |
| 2004 | The Ladykillers | Gawain MacSam | |
| White Chicks | Marcus Anthony Copeland II / Tiffany Wilson | Also co-writer and producer | |
| 2006 | Behind the Smile | Danny Styles | |
| Little Man | Calvin "Baby-face" Sims | Also co-writer and producer | |
| 2007 | Norbit | Buster "Bust-A-Move" Perkin | |
| 2009 | Dance Flick | Mr Moody | Also co-writer and producer |
| G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra | Rip Cord | ||
| 2010 | Marmaduke | Lightning | Voice |
| 2013 | A Haunted House | Malcolm Johnson | Also co-writer and producer |
| The Heat | Special Agent Levy | ||
| 2014 | A Haunted House 2 | Malcolm Johnson | Also co-writer and producer |
| 2016 | Fifty Shades of Black | Christian Black | |
| 2017 | Naked | Rob Anderson | |
| 2019 | Sextuplets | Various roles | |
| 2020 | On the Rocks | Dean | |
| 2021 | Respect | Ted White | |
| Back Home Again | Mr. Tortoise | Short film | |
| 2022 | The Curse of Bridge Hollow | Howard Gordon | Also producer [25] |
| 2023 | Air | George Raveling | |
| 2025 | Him | Isaiah White | |
| 2026 | Scary Movie † | Shorty Meeks | Also co-writer and producer |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–1993 | In Living Color | Himself | Cast member; 17 episodes (Season 3–4) |
| 1995–1999 | The Wayans Bros. | Marlon Williams | 101 episodes; also co-creator and sketch writer |
| 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 |
| 1999 | Hollywood Squares | Himself | Recurring panelist |
| Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Bad Bobby | Voice; episode: "The Bremen Town Musicians" | |
| 2000 | Comedy Central Canned Ham | Himself | Episode: "Scary Movie" |
| 2000 MTV Video Music Awards | Main host | ||
| 2001 | Mad TV | Episode: "Episode #6.25" | |
| 2005 | Episode: "Episode #11.1" | ||
| 2006 | The Boo Crew | Dirty | Voice; television specials |
| Six Degrees | Homeless Guy | Episode: "The Puncher" | |
| 2011 | Childrens Hospital | Dr. Black | Episode: "The Black Doctor" |
| 2013 | Sidewalks Entertainment | Himself | Host; episode: "Marlon Wayans" |
| Anderson Live | Co-host; episode: "Episode #2.77" | ||
| Second Generation Wayans | 2 episodes; also executive producer | ||
| Legit | Doctor | Episode: "Fatherhood" | |
| 2014 | Funniest Wins | Himself | Host; 8 episodes |
| Deal with It | Episode: "Marlon Wayans & Mo Mandel" | ||
| 2015 | Lip Sync Battle | Competitor; episode: "Queen Latifah vs. Marlon Wayans" | |
| I Can Do That | Main host | ||
| America's Got Talent | Guest judge; episode: "Judge Cuts 3" | ||
| 2016 | Hollywood Game Night | Player; episode: "Way-ans to Go!" | |
| The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore | Panelist; episode: "Rand Paul Talks Donald Trump's Candidacy" | ||
| Givit Wednesday | Episode: "Puppies & Tattoos - Marlon Wayans/Alison Eastwood" | ||
| Big Boy's Big Brawl | Episode: "Pilot" | ||
| Animals. | Ry-Ry | Voice; episode: "Squirrels Part I" | |
| 2017 | Safeword | Himself | Episode: "Kevin Hart vs. Damien Dante Wayans" |
| 2017–2018 | Marlon | Marlon Wayne | 20 episodes; also co-creator and executive producer |
| 2018 | Do or Dare | Himself | Episode: "Marlon Wayans vs. Naomi" |
| Drop the Mic | Episode: "Episode #2.3" | ||
| The Hollywood Puppet Show | Episode: "Marlon Wayans and Bow Wow" | ||
| 2019 | Sherman's Showcase | Episode: "Enemies" | |
| 2022 | To Tell the Truth | Episode: "Marlon Wayans, Arsenio Hall, and Joel McHale" | |
| Oh Hell No! with Marlon Wayans | Host; 6 episodes | ||
| 2022–2024 | Bel-Air | Lou | 3 episodes |
| 2023 | The Daily Show | Himself | Recurring host; season 28[26] |
| 2025 | Poppa's House | Melvin |
Comedy specials
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Marlon Wayans: Woke-ish | Netflix-stand-up comedy special |
| 2021 | Marlon Wayans: You Know What It Is | HBO Max-stand-up comedy special |
| 2022 | Marlon Wayans Presents: The Headliners | HBO Max-stand-up comedy special; with Tony Baker, Sydney Castillo, DC Ervin, Esau McGraw, and Chaunté Wayans |
| 2023 | Marlon Wayans: God Loves Me | HBO Max-stand-up comedy special |
| 2024 | Marlon Wayans: Good Grief | Amazon Prime-stand-up comedy special |
Documentary
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1991 | The Best of Robert Townsend & His Partners in Crime |
| 2003 | Tupac: Resurrection |
| 2005 | Hubert Selby Jr.: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow |
| 2009 | Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy |
| 2012 | Venus and Serena |
Music videos
| Year | Song | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | "The Best Things in Life Are Free" | Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson |
| 2018 | "Just My Type" | Tiana |
Accolades
| Award | Year[a] | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Reel Awards | 2001 | Best Supporting Actor | Requiem for a Dream | Nominated | [27] |
| Critics' Choice Awards | 2024 | Best Acting Ensemble[b] | Air | Nominated | [28] |
| Golden Raspberry Awards | 2007 | Worst Actor[c] | Little Man | Won | [29] |
| 2010 | Worst Supporting Actor | G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra | Nominated | [30] | |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | 2023 | Best Ensemble[b] | Air | Nominated | [31] |