Marlon Wayans

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).

Marlon Wayans
Wayans in 2018
Born
Marlon Lamont Wayans

(1972-07-23) July 23, 1972
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • writer
  • producer
Years active1988–present
Partner(s)Angela Zackery
(1992–2013)
Children2
FamilyWayans family

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). Wayans had a dramatic role in the psychological drama film Requiem for a Dream (2000), which saw his departure from the usual comedies.

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 his own 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 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

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] however it was felt that the film featured too many characters, so the character was omitted from that film. Wayans was then formally signed for 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 would result in both parts being recast and Wayans being paid out (Williams was not yet signed on, but he received a penalty fee as his contract for Batman allowed him the option of reprise), for which he still receives some royalty payments to this day. 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' 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 brother 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 got renewed for a second season by NBC, which is now available on Netflix.

Also in September 2017, Variety announced that Wayans would be partnering up with LA-based entertainment company Shots Studios to launch his own 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

Wayans was in a long-term relationship with Angela Zackery from 1992 to 2013, and although he once referred to Zackery as his "ex-wife", Wayans remarked in 2021 that he had never married.[15][16] They have two children: Kai Zackery Wayans (born 'Amai Zackery Wayans', May 24, 2000) and Shawn Howell Wayans (b. February 3, 2002). Wayans was close friends with rapper Tupac Shakur until his death in 1996.[17] He is also a longtime friend of actor Omar Epps.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1988I'm Gonna Git You SuckaPedestrian
1992Mo' MoneySeymour Stewart
1994Above the RimBugaloo
1996Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the HoodLoc DogAlso writer
1997The 6th ManKenny Tyler
1998SenselessDarryl Witherspoon
2000Requiem for a DreamTyrone C. Love
Scary MovieShorty MeeksAlso writer
The Tangerine BearLouie Blue (voice)
Dungeons & DragonsSnails
2001Scary Movie 2Shorty MeeksAlso writer
2003Tupac: ResurrectionHimself
2004Behind the SmileDanny Styles
The LadykillersGawain MacSam
White ChicksMarcus CopelandAlso writer and producer
2005Hubert Selby Jr.: It/ll Be Better TomorrowHimself
2006Little ManCalvin "Baby-face" SimsAlso writer and producer
2007NorbitBuster "Bust-A-Move" Perkin
2009Dance FlickMr MoodyAlso writer and producer
G.I. Joe: The Rise of CobraRip Cord
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black ComedyHimself
2010MarmadukeLightning
2012Versus and SerenaHimself
2013A Haunted HouseMalcolm JohnsonAlso writer and producer
The HeatSpecial Agent Levy
2014A Haunted House 2Malcolm JohnsonAlso writer and producer
2016Fifty Shades of BlackChristian Black
2017NakedRob Anderson
2019SextupletsAlan / Russell / Ethan / Baby Pete / Lynette / Dawn / Jaspar
2020On the RocksDean
2021RespectTed White
Back Home AgainMr. TortoiseShort
2022The Curse of Bridge Hollow[18]Howard GordonAlso producer
2023AirGeorge Raveling

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1991The Best of Robert Townsend & His Partners in CrimeVariousTV special
1992–1993In Living Color20 episodes
1995–1999The Wayans Bros.Marlon Williams101 episodes
1996The Parent 'HoodHimselfEpisode: "Ode to Billy Shankbreath"
Mr. Show with Bob and DavidKKK memberEpisode: "The Biggest Failure in Broadway History"
1996–1997WayneheadBlue (voice)6 episodes
1998Comics Come Home 4HimselfTV movie
1999Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildBad Bobby (voice)Episode: "The Bremen Town Musicians"
20002000 MTV Video Music AwardsHimself / HostTV special
MTV Fashionably Loud: Spring Break, Cancun 2000HimselfTV movie
2006Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness(voice)
Six DegreesHomeless GuyEpisode: "The Puncher"
Legends BallHimselfTV movie
Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-Roc's StreetDirty, Money (voice)
2011Childrens HospitalDr. BlackEpisode: "The Black Doctor"
2013Second Generation WayansHimself2 episodes
LegitDoctorEpisode: "Fatherhood"
2014Funniest WinsHimself8 episodes
2016Animals.Ry-Ry (voice)Episode: "Squirrels Part I"
2017–2018MarlonMarlon Wayne20 episodes; also creator and executive producer
2019Sherman's ShowcaseEpisode: "Enemies"
2022Bel-AirLouEpisode: "Where To?"
Marlon Wayans Presents: The HeadlinersHimself / Host
2022–presentOh Hell No! with Marlon Wayans
2023ChuckyRonald Tyler
The Daily Show[19] Guest Host 4 Episodes (Week of Mar 6)
God Loves MeHimselfHBO Max Stand-up Special

References

  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. 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.
  18. "New movies coming to Netflix in fall". whats-on-netflix.com. July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  19. "The Daily Show Guest Host Lineup". Comedy Central. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
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