Marlon Wayans Is HIM

Our brother on the big screen shares his thoughts on art, family and his unwavering sense of purpose: "God put me here for a reason, and I'm going to fulfill that"

- By Okla Jones III

Gabriela Hearst coat, Amiri sweaters.

The world is watching Marlon Wayans. That's been true for a while: On May 20, 1999, The Wayans Bros. aired its final episode. But even after five seasons of laughs and unforgettable moments-plus a return by the Temptones that rivaled any musical group out there the iconic sitcom wasn't afforded a proper send-off. Though disheartening, its abrupt cancellation wasn't uncommon, especially for television shows that featured Black talent. For Wayans, one of the show's writers and its costar, this wasn't a door closing; it served as a window, providing access to endless possibilities.

“You know what's funny?” he says when I express my disdain for the show's premature end some 26 years ago. “I'm happy it happened that way. It just created an opportunity for me and my brother to do a great movie—The Final Episode. And when we do our Wayans Bros. special, I'm not going to sit around and just talk about the nostalgia of the show. We're going to do the last episode.”

That is the essence of Marlon Wayans: always seeing life's trials, tribulations and obstacles as an opportunity to create something new, something beautiful for the world to experience. This mindset began in him at an early age; it was cultivated within the walls of his family's unit in New York City's Fulton Projects. As the youngest of ten siblings and a member of the heralded Wayans clan, Marlon was always an observer—building on the foundation that was laid before him, but never afraid to forge his own path.