Marlon Wayans Has "No Limits"

From our September Issue, actor and comedian Marlon Wayans talks drama roles in film, stand-up comedy making him poise and wanting to be one of the top male entertainers in the next 5 years with Kolor Magazine

Before your roles as Dean in the film On The Rocks (2020) and Ted White in Respect (2021), Tyrone C. Love in Requiem for a Dream (2000) was the last time we seen you take on a drama script in a movie. What inspired your return to the genre?

I think they were good projects. They were great movies, and I wanted to be a part of working with great directors like Sofia Coppola and Liesl Tommy. The scripts were great, and its roles you haven’t seen me do. I felt like I could dive into those roles and showcase a different part of me. Also, it's the trajectory of my career. Where I’m trying to head, where I’m trying to go? In the big scheme of things, it’s the versatility that gives you longevity. I’ve been working on my craft since I was four years old and, I'm at this point and age where I’m ready to align those vehicles.

Shirt and Jacket by BOGLIOLI, Pants by ROBERTO CAVALLI, MARLON'S OWN Watch and Ring. — Shirt and Jacket by BOGLIOLI, Pants by ROBERTO CAVALLI, MARLON'S OWN Watch and Ring.

In your role as Ted White on Respect, you told Deadline.com this was the first time you get to play 'the Villian.' Did you face any challenges preparing for this character and, were you able to add any new abilities to your skillset while preparing for this movie?

It’s funny because I’ve never played a character like Ted White. I don’t identify with this character at all: I’m not an abusive guy, I’m not an insecure person. I’m not a pimp in that kind of manipulative way. I’m just so far from Ted in terms of our characters as men that it was challenging to discover that [character]. What I found through the discovery, it’s not always a monster that makes them a monster. Sometimes it’s the insecurities of a little boy. What would make a man hit a woman? Damaged people damage people and I had to identify with that.

You’ve been working with legends like Forest Whitaker, Bill Murra and your brothers and sisters who are all iconic. I’m sure you’ve learned and soaked up so much from them. When you were filming Marlon for NBC, Naked and Sextuplets for Netflix, and as you get ready to release more film projects with HBO Max, I believe you are the big legend on set? What type of gems are you hoping that people who work with you are soaking up?

The same things I got to learn from the legends I've worked with. Each one taught me something different. From Tom Hanks, I've learned, from Sandra Bullock, I've learned. One of the greatest lessons is the greatest people make the greatest stars. They're both so generous and kind, not just with the actors but with the entire crew. When you want to be a star and headline a production, you must understand the power of your energy as the star on set. You make the journey for everybody, all the cast and crew, a beautiful fun, journey by being the light of all things happy on the set. When I have a set, I think it's my job to make sure the temperature on the set always remains cool. The set is always fun, it's always comfortable, everyone is there to work, laugh, support each other, and have a great fucking time. As an actor, if you're unapproachable, you can't learn things from your crew. From the assistant camera crew to the food guy they can always say, 'if you're standing here, I can hear you better,' or 'you know that moment when the camera pushes in, I think right then is when it's best for you to give me your all emotionally because I think that's when it will peak.' So they help your performance when you're approachable. Sometimes craft services will come up to you and give you a joke, 'aye you know what you be funny,' and you think ahh shit that funny so you put it in. For me, I love every member of my crew because I know that they are helping the production and me as well.

Suit by **ROBERTO CAVALLI**, Shirt by DKNY

You talked about quitting stand-up for 20 years on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. If Woke-ish, your 2018 Netflix comedy special and Marlon Wayans: You Know What It Is for HBO Max is your return to the craft, Is preparing for stand-up comedy shows like riding a bike, or are you finding a new voice on the stage?

Well, it wasn't like I mastered the bike when I put the bike down. I just had my training wheels on and was learning to ride without them before I quit. Coming back, I'm finding that it's helping me as an overall performer, writer, producer, star. It's given me poise in every scene. I'm not as desperate as I use to be. I know when to be on when to turn it off. I'm not trying to find it, I know where it's at. I trust my instincts because I'm on stage every weekend dong stand up. I know my audience. I know just how much to do, just how far to go, just how far to pull back. It's an art form you learn over time, developing your sense of humor. You're developing your character. You're developing your voice and the audience, they don't know your voice until you dictate what your voice is by how passionate you are about the things you say. And the line, there is no line. You create the line by allowing yourself to push that line, you know what I mean. Some guys can say whatever the fuck they want to say and it's hilarious. Some guys are always so reserved to say what they really want to say and they find their voice to say it and that becomes hilarious. And now and then when they go over their line you go, 'that's out of pocket for that guy.' For me, I have no limits. I go black, white and everything in between that's gray. I want to be able to say whatever the hell I want to say and the audience to trust that it's coming from a good perspective and a healthy point of view even though it's a little twisted.

You’ve acted, written and/or produced in a TV or film project every year since 2013. With your HBO Max deal, we know more is coming including Book of Marlon. What can we expect from your upcoming projects and roles, and at this level in your career what’s the end goal?

You can expect the unexpected because I don't know what the hell I'm going to be doing. I think it's going to be a little bit more serious. It's going to be a little crazy and a little more grounded, a little bit more mature, a little bit more romance. I think overall you can expect the same caliber of funny but more gravity when it comes to digging into the drama in various roles and maybe some action as well, because that is something I want to get into. I think the endgame for me is there is no endgame. I always look at it like five, ten, twenty years and in the five years hopefully I'll be one of the top 10 male stars in the industry that gets to work with the best directors, with the best scripts, the biggest budgets and go out and make the best popcorn movies. And I want to be versatile enough to do it all and my audience follows. They won't care if it's a superhero movie, a gritty drama, or a cop thriller.

Shirt by BOGLIOLI, Pants by DEREK ROSE, Jacket by ALEXANDER WANG. — Shirt by BOGLIOLI, Pants by DEREK ROSE, Jacket by ALEXANDER WANG.

Interview by Nigel Isaiah