Keenen Ivory Wayans

Keenen Ivory Wayans Photo

KEENEN IVORY WAYANS

Date of Birth: June 8, 1958

Best known to viewers as the creator, star, executive producer and co-writer of the Emmy Award-winning sketch comedy series In Living Color, Wayans first came to national prominence as the co-star and co-author of the critically acclaimed comedy Hollywood Shuffle.

Born in New York City in a family of 10, four of his brothers and one sister have followed him into the limelight. Keenan attended college at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama but dropped out his senior year to pursue comedy full time. He was influenced by Richard Pryor's comic flare.

Wayans made his directorial debut with the feature film I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, which he also wrote and starred in. He went on to write, direct and star in A Low Down Dirty Shame, and produce Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. He then starred in the action thrller The Glimmer Man with Steven Seagal.

Wayans has also worked on Will Smith's music video "Just the Two of Us" as well as TV commercials for KFC and Pepsi.

Recently he worked with his brothers on the horror spoof Scary Movie 2, hosted a late night talk/variety show The Keenen Ivory Williams, and directed his brothers in White Chicks (2004) and Little Man (2006).

Filmography (director):

Little Man (2006)
White Chicks (2004)
Scary Movie 2 (2001)
Scary Movie (2000)
A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994)
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988)

Filmography (actor):

Scary Movie (2000)
Most Wanted (1997)
The Glimmer Man (1996)
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996)
A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994)
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988)
Hollywood Shuffle (1987)
Star 80 (1983)