Kim Wayans

Wayans was born in Harlem, New York City, the daughter of Elvira Alethia (née Green), a homemaker and social worker, and Howell Stouten Wayans, a supermarket manager.^[1][2][3] Wayans is one of ten siblings,^[4] several of whom have also become actors and comedians. She and her family lived in Fulton Houses, a housing project in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood, and were Jehovah's Witnesses.^[5][6][7] Wayans graduated from Wesleyan University, where she studied English.^[8]

Wayans made her film debut in Hollywood Shuffle (1987).^[9] Her earliest roles on television included a guest appearance on China Beach^[10] and as Allison on A Different World during its first season.^[11] In film, she portrayed minor characters in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1989)^[12] and A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994).^[13] Both films were directed by her brother Keenen Ivory Wayans.

She starred with her siblings on the Fox variety show In Living Color. Wayans was a part of the cast at its outset in 1990,^[14] where she did celebrity impressions of Naomi Campbell,^[15] Whitney Houston, Vanessa Williams^[16] and Oprah Winfrey.^[17]

Regarding original characters, one reviewer opined she was "hysterical" as Mrs. Brooks^[18] and another claimed Wayans played Benita Butrell "to perfection."^[19] She left the series along with her brothers Keenen Ivory and Damon in 1993, after a dispute between Fox and the three Wayanses regarding reruns and syndication.^[20]

In 1996, Wayans joined the cast of sitcom In the House as Tonia.^[21] She provided the voice of Mrs. Wayne on short-lived cartoon Waynehead.^[22] She appeared as Mrs. Johnson in Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996),^[23] and had a starring role in the art film Talking About Sex.^[24] She also appeared in two episodes as Sheila on The Wayans Bros. starring her younger brothers Marlon and Shawn.^[25] Wayans co-starred in Juwanna Mann (2002) as basketball player Latisha Jansen.^[26]

Wayans then worked as a story editor on her brother Damon's sitcom My Wife and Kids.^[27] In 2008, she co wrote a series of children's books with her husband Kevin Knotts, titled Amy Hodgepodge, about a multiracial girl adjusting to life in public school after years of homeschooling.

Known predominantly as a comedian, Wayans claims to have struggled finding roles in other mediums.^[28] However, in 2011, she was cast as Audrey, a mother who struggles to understand her seventeen-year-old daughter in the drama film Pariah.^[29] According to director Dee Rees, Wayans was chosen in the role as she was the only actress to give Audrey "vulnerability" in her audition.^[28] Wayans was nominated for a Black Reel Award and NAACP Image Award in 2012, both in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress.^[30][31]

Following Pariah, Wayans has acted in more dramatic fare, including guest spots on Criminal Minds and Hawaii Five-0.^[4] Her turn on the former led to a regular role as paralegal Vi Briggs on Reckless.^[29] She appeared as a doctor on The Soul Man^[32] and portrayed Susan on New Girl, appearing in an episode alongside her nephew, Damon Wayans Jr.^[33] Wayans returned to sketch comedy, appearing in one episode of A Black Lady Sketch Show in 2021.^[34]

In November 2025, it was revealed that she joined the cast of Scary Movie 6, which is set to release in June 2026.^[35] In January 2026, she launched a comedy series on YouTube titled Still Got It with Izzi Fabulous.^[36]