- Shawn Wayans
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Shawn Wayans
Wayans in 2004Born Shawn Mathis Wayans
January 19, 1971
New York City, New York, U.S.Other names DJ SW-1 Occupation Actor/Comedian Years active 1987–present Shawn Mathis Wayans (born January 19, 1971) is an American actor, producer, writer and comedian who starred in In Living Color and The Wayans Bros. He is the brother of Keenen Ivory, Damon, Marlon, Kim and Nadia Wayans.
Contents
Early life
Wayans, second youngest of ten siblings, was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Elvira, a homemaker and social worker, and Howell Wayans, a supermarket manager. [1] His family were once Jehovah's Witnesses.[2][3] 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
Wayans made his feature debut in older brother Keenen's I'm Gonna Get You Sucka (1988). On Fox's In Living Color, he began as deejay 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 little-seen 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 Keenan: 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. He kept the familial team intact when he and Marlon starred in the Keenan-directed comedy White Chicks (2004), playing a pair of FBI agents forced to masquerade as a pair of 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. He acted in, co-wrote, and co-produced the film.
Filmography
Year Film Role 1988 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka Pedestrian 1990 In Living Color (TV Series) Various 1991 The Best of Robert Townsend & His Partners in Crime (TV) Various MacGyver (TV Series) Robo 1993 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (TV Series) Dominic 1995 The Wayans Bros. (TV Series) Shawn Williams 1996 Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood Ashtray Waynehead (TV Series) Toof/Kid The Parent 'Hood (TV Series) Himself 1998 Comics Come Home 4 (TV) Himself 1999 New Blood Valentine Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (TV Series) Bad Bobby (voice) 2000 Scary Movie Ray Wilkins Open Mic Himself 2001 Scary Movie 2 Ray Wilkins 2004 White Chicks Kevin Copeland 2006 Little Man Darryl Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness (TV) Slim (voice) Thugaboo: Miracle on D-Roc's Street (TV) Slim, Cheapie 2009 Dance Flick Baby Daddy 2012 Scary Movie 5 Ray Wilkins Writing credits
- Dance Flick (2009) (written by)
- Little Man (2006)
- Scary Movie 4 (2006) (characters)
- White Chicks (2004) (screenplay) (story)
- Scary Movie 3 (2003) (characters)
- Scary Movie 2 (2001) (characters) (written by)
- Scary Movie (2000) (written by)
- Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) (written by)
- The Wayans Bros. (1995-1999) TV Series
Producer/director credits
- Little Man (2006) (producer)
- White Chicks (2004) (producer)
- Scary Movie 2 (2001) (co-executive producer)
- Scary Movie (2000) (producer) (uncredited)
- Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) (co-executive producer)
- The Wayans Bros. (1995) TV Series (Producer, Director & Executive Consultant)
References
External links
Preceded by
Chris RockMTV Video Music Awards host
2000 (co-host with Marlon Wayans)Succeeded by
Jamie FoxxCategories:- 1971 births
- Actors from New York City
- African American actors
- African American comedians
- American film actors
- American television actors
- Living people
- People from New York City
- Wayans family
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