Damien Dante Wayans
American actor (born 1980)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Damien Dante Wayans (/ˈweɪ.ənz/ WAY-ənz; born April 15, 1980) is an American actor, screenwriter, producer and director. He is a member of the Wayans family.
April 15, 1980
Damien Dante Wayans | |
|---|---|
| Born | Damien Dante Wayans April 15, 1980 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupations | Actor, screenwriter, producer, director |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Family | Wayans family |
Early life
Wayans was born in New York City. He is a member of the Wayans family, which includes Keenen Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans Sr., Kim Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Marlon Wayans. He is the son of their sibling Elvira Wayans and brother of Chaunté Wayans. Damon Wayans Jr. and Craig Wayans are his cousins.[1]
Career
Wayans began his career in 1987 in Eddie Murphy's standup comedy film Eddie Murphy Raw. He acted with his uncle Damon Wayans in Major Payne. He then went on to writing and directing. His big break in acting was in Jamie Kennedy's film Malibu's Most Wanted, in which he played Tec, Shondra's (Regina Hall) ex-boyfriend.[2] Wayans has written and directed several episodes of his uncle Damon's sitcom My Wife And Kids.
In 2006, he appeared in the direct-to-DVD comedy film Man About Town.[3] That same year, Wayans and his cousin Craig Wayans wrote and produced their uncle Damon's The Underground, a sketch comedy show on Showtime. Wayans also directed a few segments.
He made his directorial debut with the 2009 film Dance Flick, which he also co-wrote alongside Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans and Craig Wayans.[4] He formed a film and TV production company called Second Generation Productions, a reference to the second generation of Wayans in the entertainment industry. He plans to create, develop and produce multiplatform content.[5]
In 2012, he appeared in George Watsky's WatchLoud web series Watsky's Making An Album.[6] The following year, Wayans and his cousin Craig Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the BET comedy drama Second Generation Wayans.[7] He joined the cast of Single Ladies in 2014 in a recurring role as David Berenger.[8]
In 2017, he appeared as a guest on the VH1 game show Hip Hop Squares.[9] He also appeared in the MTV in comedy game show SafeWord.[10] In 2025, he directed an episode of the CBS sitcom Poppa's House.[11][12]
Personal life
In 2015, Wayans began leasing his house in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of California.[13][14]
Filmography
Film
Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | The Last Meal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2023 | Stand Up | No | No | Executive |
Feature film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Dance Flick | Yes | Yes | Executive |
Acting roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Eddie Murphy Raw | Child Running in House (Sketch) | |
| 1995 | Major Payne | Cadet Dwight "D." Williams | |
| 1996 | Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood | Cousin with Bag | |
| 1999 | Passing Glory | Snow Lurcher | TV movie |
| 2000 | Freedom Song | Bo Drew | |
| 2003 | Malibu's Most Wanted | Tec | |
| 2005 | Edison | Isaiah Charles | |
| 2006 | Man About Town | Lucky Reynolds | |
| Little Man | Officer Wilson | ||
| 2012 | Internet Icon | Multiple Roles (Guest Actor for contestants) | |
| 2023 | Stand Up | Deondre | Short film |
| 2024 | A Hip Hop Story | Donny |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–2005 | My Wife and Kids | Yes | Yes | Yes | Director: 19 episodes, writer: 35 episodes, producer: 26 episodes |
| 2006 | The Underground | Yes | Yes | Yes | Director: 2 episodes, writer, producer: 10 episodes |
| 2013 | Second Generation Wayans | No | Yes | Executive | Also creator |
| 2025 | Poppa's House | Yes | No | No | Episode: "Say Wha?!" |
Acting roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | In Living Color | Himself | Uncredited |
| 1996 | New York Undercover | Tulane | Episode: "Toy Soliders" |
| 1997 | 413 Hope St. | Greg Barnes | Episodes: "Pilot", "Heartbeat" |
| 1999 | The Norm Show | Shawn | Episode: "Norm vs. the Boxer" |
| 2000 | NYPD Blue | Trey | Episode: "Brothers Under Arms" |
| 2006 | House M.D. | Haller | Episode: "Que Será Será" |
| 2012 | Let's Stay Together | Daniel | Episode: "Let's Do It Again" |
| 2013 | Second Generation Wayans | Damien Dante Wayans | Main role |
| 2014 | Single Ladies | David Berenger | Recurring role |
| Mind of a Man | Himself | Panelist | |
| 2017 | Hip Hop Squares | ||
| Safeword |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Internet Icon | Himself | Guest actor |
| Watsky's Making an Album | Ricky Slim, Jr. |
Accolades
| Award | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BET Comedy Awards | 2005 | Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series[a] | My Wife and Kids | Nominated | [15] |
| Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series[b] | Nominated |