| Shawn Wayans | |
| Birth Name: | Shawn Mathis Wayans |
| Birth Date: | 19 January 1971 |
| Birth Place: | New York City, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 1988–present |
| Children: | 3 |
| Family: | Wayans family |
Shawn Mathis Wayans (born January 19, 1971)[1] is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, 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).
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.
On Fox's In Living Color, he began as DJ SW-1 and later became a featured performer, working with brothers Dwayne, Keenan (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 1996 feature Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, 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 1999 gang drama New Blood, Wayans's film fortunes improved 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) of 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 has been involved with subsequent sequels.
Shawn and Marlon Wayans starred in the 2004 Keenen-directed comedy White Chicks, playing FBI agents forced to masquerade as spoiled white blonde heiresses. Shawn also received a share of story and screenplay credit on the film. He teamed up with Marlon and Keenen again for the 2006 comedy Little Man, which he acted in, co-wrote, and co-produced.
| Year | Film | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | I'm Gonna Git You Sucka | Pedestrian | ||
| 1996 | Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood | Ashtray | Also writer and co-executive producer | |
| 1999 | New Blood | Valentine | ||
| 2000 | Scary Movie | Ray Wilkins | Also writer and uncredited producer | |
| 2001 | Open Mic | Himself | ||
| Scary Movie 2 | Ray Wilkins | Also writer and co-executive producer | ||
| 2004 | White Chicks | Kevin Copeland | Also writer and producer | |
| 2006 | Little Man | Darryl Edwards | ||
| Bicentennial | Himself | |||
| 2007 | For the Bible Tells Me So | |||
| 2009 | ||||
| Dance Flick | Father of baby | Also writer | ||
| 2012 | Vanilla Ice Archive | Himself |
| Year | Television | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | The Best of Robert Townsend & His Partners in Crime | Various | |
| MacGyver | Robo | ||
| 1990–1993 | In Living Color | Various, DJ SW1 | |
| 1993 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper | Dominique | |
| 1995-1999 | The Wayans Bros. | Shawn Williams (also creator, executive consultant, producer, writer and director) | |
| 1996–1997 | Waynehead | Toof/Kid | |
| 1996 | The Parent 'Hood | Himself | |
| 1998 | Comics Come Home 4 | ||
| 1999 | Itch (voice) | ||
| 2000 | 2000 MTV Video Music Awards | Host | |
| 2006 | Slim (voice) | ||
| Legends Ball | Himself | ||
| Thugaboo: Miracle on D-Roc's Street | Slim, Cheapie | ||
| 2016 | Animals | Tommy |