Marlon Wayans
About
Biography
Biography
This wiry, energetic, black actor is from the busiest family in show business. The youngest of the ten Wayans children, Marlon made his feature debut in brother Damon's action comedy showcase "Mo' Money" (1992). As Seymour, the younger brother--and partner-in-crime--of the con man protagonist, Wayans displayed an engagingly manic comic personality. His slender body, expressive features, and triangular face lent a stylized cartoonish quality to his performance.
Wayans had appeared in several national commercials before he spent three years as a regular on the sketch comedy series "In Living Color" (Fox, 1990-93), which also featured brothers Keenen, Damon and Shawn and sister Kim. The actor almost got a major Hollywood break when he was cast as a Robin-like character in the hugely anticipated sequel "Batman Returns" (1992), but his sequences as a modern-day sidekick to the Dark Knight ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor. He and brother Shawn later teamed as co-writers and co-stars of the feature spoof "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood" (1996) and as co-creators and co-stars of the sitcom "The Wayans Bros." (The WB, 1995-99). The duo truly hit pay dirt, though, with "Scary Movie" (2000), their scatological spoof of teen horror flicks, directed by brother Keenen--the comic later reprised his role as the pot-loving Shorty Meeks for the similarly successful 2001 sequel (he received a share of story and screenplay credit as well). Also in 2000 Wayans demonstrated his dramatic range as a drug addict pal of Jared Leto's in the harrowing "Requiem for a Dream" and took on an action-oriented role for the fantasy film "Dungeons and Dragons."
The Coen brothers cast Wayans in their decidedly loopy remake of the classic British comedy "The Ladykillers" (2004), and, playing a hot-tempered would-be thief, the actor ably held his own on the screen against heavyweight Tom Hanks and a cast of journeyman supporting players. Wayans rejoined with his family for 2004's "White Chicks," directed by elder brother Keenan and co-starring Shawn: the two siblings played a pair of FBI agents forced to masquerade as a pair of spoiled white blonde heiress a la the Hilton Sisters. Marlon also received a share of story and screenplay credit on the film.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1990
Made TV debut alongside siblings as regular cast member on Fox's comedy variety series "In Living Color"
1992
Made feature debut opposite brother Damon Wayans in "Mo' Money"
1994
Featured in basketball drama "Above the Rim"
1995
Co-created and co-starred with brother Shawn on sitcom "The Wayans Bros." (The WB)
1996
First produced feature, "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood"; also co-wrote and starred
1998
Played lead in comedy "Senseless"
2000
Co-wrote and co-starred as stoner Shorty Meeks in box-office hit "Scary Movie"
2000
Offered a dramatic turn as a drug user in Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream"
2001
Again portrayed Shorty Meeks in "Scary Movie 2"
2004
Joined Tom Hanks for the Coen brothers' remake of "The Ladykillers"
2004
Co-wrote and co-starred with brother Shawn as FBI agents that go undercover as hotel heiresses in "White Chicks," directed by brother Keenen Ivory Wayans
2006
Co-created (with Keenen and Shawn) the Nickelodeon animated series "Thugaboo"
2006
Co-wrote and co-starred with brother Shawn in comedy "Little Man"; directed by Keenen
2007
Featured in Eddie Murphy comedy vehicle "Norbit"
2009
Co-produced and co-wrote "Dance Flick" with brothers; directed by nephew Damien Dante Wayans
2009
Cast as Ripcord in big-screen version of "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra"
2013
Starred in paranormal genre spoof "A Haunted House"; also co-wrote with Rick Alvarez
Family
