Marlon Lamont Wayans[1] (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).
Marlon Wayans | |
|---|---|
 Wayans in 2018 | |
| Born | Marlon Lamont Wayans July 23, 1972 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
| Partner(s) | Angela Zackery (1992–2013) |
| Children | 3 |
| 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).
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
editWayans 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
editBetween 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; 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
editWayans 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.[20][21] Wayans also shares a child with his former girlfriend, Brittany Moreland.[22] Wayans was a close friend of rapper Tupac Shakur.[23]
Filmography
edit| † | Denotes productions that have not yet been released |
Film
edit| 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 | 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) | ||
| Dungeons & Dragons | Snails | ||
| 2001 | Scary Movie 2 | Shorty Meeks | Also co-writer |
| 2004 | The Ladykillers | Gawain MacSam | |
| White Chicks | Marcus Copeland | 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 | Also co-writer and producer |
| 2017 | Naked | Rob Anderson | Also co-writer and producer |
| 2019 | Sextuplets | Various Roles | Also co-writer and producer |
| 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 [24] |
| 2023 | Air | George Raveling | |
| 2025 | Him † | TBA | |
| Scary Movie 6 † | Shorty Meeks | Also co-writer and producer |
Television
edit| 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/Panelist | 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 | Himself (Co-Host) | Main Host | |
| 2001 | Mad TV | Himself | Episode: "Episode #6.25" |
| 2005 | Mad TV | Himself | Episode: "Episode #11.1" |
| 2006 | The Boo Crew (also known as Thugaboo) | Dirty (voice) | 2 television specials |
| 2006 | 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 | Himself (Co-Host) | Episode: "Episode #2.77" | |
| Second Generation Wayans | Himself | 2 episodes, also executive producer | |
| Legit | Doctor | Episode: "Fatherhood" | |
| 2014 | Funniest Wins | Himself (Host) | 8 episodes |
| Deal with It | Himself | Episode: "Marlon Wayans & Mo Mandel" | |
| 2015 | Lip Sync Battle | Himself (Competitor) | Episode: "Queen Latifah vs. Marlon Wayans" |
| I Can Do That | Himself (Host) | Main Host | |
| America's Got Talent | Himself (Guest Judge) | Episode: "Judge Cuts 3" | |
| 2016 | Hollywood Game Night | Himself/Celebrity Player | Episode: "Way-ans to Go!" |
| The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore | Himself/Panelist | Episode: "Rand Paul Talks Donald Trump's Candidacy" | |
| Givit Wednesday | Himself | Episode: "Puppies & Tattoos - Marlon Wayans/Alison Eastwood" | |
| Big Boy's Big Brawl | Himself | 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 | Himself | Episode: "Episode #2.3" | |
| The Hollywood Puppet Show | Himself | Episode: "Marlon Wayans and Bow Wow" | |
| 2019 | Sherman's Showcase | Himself | Episode: "Enemies" |
| 2022 | To Tell the Truth | Himself | Episode: "Marlon Wayans, Arsenio Hall, and Joel McHale" |
| Oh Hell No! with Marlon Wayans | Himself (Host) | 6 episodes | |
| 2022–2024 | Bel-Air | Lou | 3 episodes |
| 2023 | The Daily Show | Himself (Host) [25] | Recurring Host: Season 28 |
Comedy specials
edit| 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
edit| 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 | Versus and Serena |
Music videos
edit| Year | Song | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | "The Best Things in Life Are Free" | Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson |
| 2018 | "Just My Type" | Tiana |
References
edit- ^ "Marlon Wayans: 25 Things You Don't Know About Me". usmagazine.com. April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
- ^ "Marlon Wayans Launching Urban Funny or Die (Exclusive)". Hollywoodreporter.com. June 26, 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
- ^ "What The Funny". What The Funny. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
- ^ "Marlon Wayans' TBS series 'Funniest Wins' unveils comedian competitors". laughspin.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
- ^ "The Wayans Brothers Kick Off Brand-New Comedy Tour in U.S." goodblacknews.org. July 21, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ Ausiello, Michael (December 21, 2018). "Marlon Cancelled at NBC". TVLine. Archived from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
- ^ "Keenen Ivory Wayans' Interactive Family Tree - Finding Your Roots - PBS". PBS. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
- ^ Stein, Joel. (September 11, 2000) Marlon Wayans. Time. Retrieved on 2012-04-08.
- ^ Stated on Finding Your Roots, January 19, 2016, PBS
- ^ "Marlon Wayans". Biography.com. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
- ^ Rabin, Nathan. (February 25, 1998) Marlon Wayans. The A.V. Club. Retrieved on 2012-04-08.
- ^ Mueller, Matthew (March 9, 2016). "Batman '89 Series Would Have Picked Up Where Tim Burton Left Off". Yahoo!. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (March 17, 2017). "NBC Sets Summer Premieres: 'Marlon,' 'Midnight, Texas,' 'Carmichael Show,' Reality & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 28, 2017). "'Marlon' Renewed For Season 2 By NBC". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "'Marlon' canceled by NBC after two seasons". The Grio. December 23, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (September 7, 2018). "Marlon Wayans Launches YouTube Sketch-Comedy Channel With Shots Studios (Watch)". Variety. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- ^ "Marlon Wayans Inks Overall Deal With HBO Max | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. June 25, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Falen Hardge (November 13, 2023). "Marlon Wayans Shares How He Learned To Embrace His Trans Son, Kai". BET. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Stephanie Kaloi (November 15, 2023). "All About Marlon Wayans' Two Kids and His 'Unconditional Love' for Them". Parade. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Danielle Young (March 21, 2024). "Marlon Wayans Slams 'Entitled' Baby Mother After New Paternity Suit". BET. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "New movies coming to Netflix in fall". whats-on-netflix.com. July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ "The Daily Show Guest Host Lineup". Comedy Central. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.