Shawn Wayans

Shawn Mathis Wayans (born January 19, 1971)[1] is an American actor, screenwriter, comedian, and producer. He made his debut on the comedy television series In Living Color (1990–1993). He went on to work with his brother Marlon 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).

Shawn Wayans
Wayans in 2004
Born
Shawn Mathis Wayans

(1971-01-19) January 19, 1971
New York City, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • writer
  • producer
Years active1988–present
Children3
FamilyWayans family

Early life

Wayans, the ninth of ten siblings, was born in New York City, the son of Elvira Alethia (Green), a homemaker and social worker, and Howell Stouten Wayans, a supermarket manager.[2][3][4] His family were once Jehovah's Witnesses.[5][6] Wayans grew up in the Fulton Houses in the Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea and is a 1989 graduate of the Bayard Rustin High School for the Humanities.

Career

On Fox's In Living Color, he began as DJ SW-1 and later became a featured performer, working with brothers Dwayne, Keenen (the show's creator), Damon, Marlon and sister Kim.

Along with Marlon, Shawn Wayans created and starred in the sitcom The Wayans Bros. (The WB, 1995–99) and co wrote, co executive produced and starred in the feature Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996), in which Keenen also acted. Wayans guest starred on episodes of MacGyver and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper and provided the voice of Toof for the animated children's series Waynehead (based on brother Damon's real life childhood experiences).

After a supporting stint in the gang drama New Blood (1999) Wayans' film fortunes increased dramatically when he co-starred with his brother Marlon in a hit film directed by their older brother Keenen: Scary Movie (1999–2000), a comic satire (which he also co wrote) on the then-recent trend of horror films like Scream.

Wayans played the apparently closeted Ray Wilkins, a role he reprised for the similarly popular 2001 sequel Scary Movie 2. To date, Wayans has not had any involvement with subsequent sequels.

He kept the familial team intact when he and Marlon starred in the Keenen-directed comedy White Chicks (2004), playing a pair of FBI agents forced to masquerade as spoiled white blonde heiresses. Shawn also received a share of story and screenplay credit on the film. Wayans teamed up with Marlon and Keenen once again for the 2006 comedy Little Man, which Wayans acted in, co-wrote, and co-produced.

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1988I'm Gonna Git You SuckaPedestrian
1996Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the HoodAshtrayAlso writer and co-executive producer
1999New BloodValentine
2000Scary MovieRay WilkinsAlso writer and uncredited producer
2001Open MicHimself
Scary Movie 2Ray WilkinsAlso writer and co-executive producer
2004White ChicksKevin CopelandAlso writer and producer
2006Little ManDarryl Edwards
BicentennialHimself
2007For the Bible Tells Me So
2009Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy
Dance FlickFather of babyAlso writer
2012Vanilla Ice ArchiveHimself

Television

Year Television Role
1991The Best of Robert Townsend & His Partners in CrimeVarious
MacGyverRobo
1990–1993In Living ColorVarious, DJ SW1
1993Hangin' with Mr. CooperDominique
1995-1999The Wayans Bros.Shawn Williams (also creator, executive consultant, producer, writer and director)
1996–1997WayneheadToof/Kid
1996The Parent 'HoodHimself
1998Comics Come Home 4
1999Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildBad Boy (voice)
20002000 MTV Video Music AwardsHost
2006Thugaboo: Sneaker MadnessSlim (voice)
Legends BallHimself
Thugaboo: Miracle on D-Roc's StreetSlim, Cheapie
2016AnimalsTommy

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.