Keenen Ivory Wayans

Keenen Ivory Wayans, born on June 8, 1958, in New York City, is a filmmaker, actor, and comedian. He is known for his significant contributions to comedy and film, particularly for creating the influential sketch comedy series “In Living Color.” Wayans grew up in Harlem and later Manhattan’s Fulton housing projects, the second of ten children to Howell Wayans, a grocery store manager, and Elvira Wayans, a social worker and singer. He attended Seward Park High School and majored in engineering at Tuskegee University, dropping out during his senior year to pursue a career in comedy. After experiencing limited success as a stand-up comedian in New York, Wayans relocated to Los Angeles in 1980.

In Los Angeles, Wayans began to gain traction in television, securing bit parts in series like “CHiPs,” “The Renegades,” and “Cheers,” and a role in the military series “For Love and Honor.” His career advanced significantly when he collaborated with fellow comedian Robert Townsend, co-writing the film “Hollywood Shuffle” (1987), a satire on the experiences of Black actors in Hollywood. This success led him to write, direct, and star in “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” (1988), a blaxploitation parody that further established his comedic voice. These projects paved the way for his most acclaimed creation, “In Living Color.” The show, which premiered on Fox in 1990, provided a platform for his innovative sketch comedy, showcasing his sharp social commentary and launching the careers of several of his siblings, as well as Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx. It earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series.

Following his departure from “In Living Color” in 1992 due to creative disputes, Wayans continued to work as a writer, director, and actor. He helmed action-comedies like “A Low Down Dirty Shame” (1994) and “Most Wanted” (1997). In the early 2000s, he achieved major box office success directing horror film parodies “Scary Movie” (2000) and “Scary Movie 2” (2001), which prominently featured his brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans. He also directed and co-wrote “White Chicks” (2004) and “Little Man” (2006). Wayans has consistently collaborated with his family on various productions, including “Dance Flick” (2009), further solidifying the Wayans family’s presence in entertainment. More recently, he directed episodes of the comedy series “The Last O.G.” (2018).