Profile Text
Wayans in 2010, photo by Rena Schild / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Marlon Lamont Wayans
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: July 23, 1972
Ethnicity: African-American
Marlon Wayans is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film producer. He is known for his roles in the films Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood , Scary Movie , Scary Movie 2 , White Chicks , Little Man , Dance Flick , A Haunted House , A Haunted House 2 , Fifty Shades of Black , Naked (2017), and Sextuplets , all of which he co-wrote, as well as in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra , On the Rocks , Respect (2021), The Curse of Bridge Hollow , Air (2023), and Him (2025).
Marlon is the son of Elvira Alethia (Green), a social worker, and Howell Stouten Wayans, a supermarket manager. He is the youngest of ten siblings, including entertainers Dwayne Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans , Damon Wayans , Kim Wayans , Elvira Wayans, and Shawn Wayans , all of whom he has collaborated with. Marlon has two children with his former partner Angelica Zachary; and one child with his former partner Brittany Moreland. He is the uncle of actors, comedians, and writers Craig Wayans, who is also a producer; Damien Dante Wayans, who is also a producer and director; Chaunté Wayans, and Damon Wayans, Jr. He was raised in Chelsea, Manhattan. His household were Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Marlon’s paternal grandfather was Paul Otto Wayans (the son of Stouton Wayans and Della Johnson). Paul was born in Connecticut. Stouton was the son of Peter Waynes/Wayans.
Marlon’s paternal grandmother was Lillian Victoria Howell (the daughter of Isaiah Howell and Ethel J. Grant). Lillian was born in Florida. Isaiah was the son of Moses Howell and Anna Smith.
Marlon’s maternal grandfather was Ivory Garrett Green (the son of Edward Powell Green and Mary Magdalene Brock). Ivory was born in South Carolina. Edward was the son of James Green and Dorcas Nelson. Mary Magdalene was the daughter of Marion Brock, who was born into slavery, and of Catherine Rhame.
Marlon’s maternal grandmother was Elvira Brown (the daughter of Hooper Robert Brown and Emma J. Pleasant). Elvira was born in South Carolina. Hooper was the son of Alex Brown and Elvira. Emma was the daughter of Abraham Pleasant and Polly Coad.
A DNA test of Marlon’s brother Keenen on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2016) indicated that Keenen has genetic ancestry from the Malagasy people, of Madagascar.
Sources: Genealogy of Marlon Wayans (through Marlon’s brother, Keenen Ivory Wayans) – http://www.pbs.org
Genealogy of Marlon Wayans – http://www.geni.com
Marlon’s maternal great-grandmother, Mary Magdalene Brock, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org