*Marlon Wayans is no stranger to the big screen or small screen. “I’m Gonna Get You Sucka” in 1988 was the first time audiences got a glimpse of Wayans.
He went on to appear in numerous films and TV shows. Most lucrative are Wayans’ parodies (“Scary Movie,” “Scary Movie 2,” “A Haunted House,” “A Haunted House 2”).
Now he’s back with his latest parody, “Fifty Shades of Black,” in which he stars as Christian Black.
In an exclusive interview with Wayans, he spoke seriously about the comedy and the drama.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Did you like “Fifty Shades of Grey”?
I think in order to do a parody or a movie like this and do it well, you have to love it and you have to hate it. So it’s a love hate thing. The love gets you interested and the hate is what creates the jokes.
With no over the top special effects, explosions, or crashes, I would think there were no challenges you had to contend with?
We had challenges everyday.
Really?
Yeah, this was on a $5 million budget and we’re trying to do a film that looks like a $75 million movie. We got it looking like we spent that much money because of the details that we put in, but it was challenging.
Was the shoot smooth sailing or did unexpected show up?
Everyday! On top of all the challenges, here I go improvising all the time. I always encourage them improvise, which drove everybody a little batty. I think that’s how you get the best film; you make the actors writers.
What’s next on your agenda?
I saw “Airplane” when I was 8 years old and from that day I knew what I wanted to do. At 10 years-old, I began writing. I wrote jokes because I wanted to make people laugh. I wanted to be outrageous. I wanted to be edgy, cutting edge, and fearless. I’m not gonna change life, but I hope to change a mood.
There are a lot of things I want to do. In the beginning I spent a lot of time helping to build the Wayans legacy but the legacy of Marlon is in its infancy stage and so I’m really dedicated to really trying to build my own legacy right now. That goes for my TV shows, producing and movies. I have dramatic chops and want to do a couple of dramas here and there, romantic comedies, and action comedies.
What’s the key to your longevity?
Skill, hard work and dedication. The harder you work the better you get. Be humble and keep a grain of humility. Keep the thirst for knowledge and the hunger to grow. I dedicated myself to learn the craft of writing. And as an actor, I trained for years. I’m working really hard at being a businessman and I’m learning a lot about producing. It’s just learning a lot from every aspect of the game if you’re going to last for a long time.
My brothers are the best in the game and I learned a lot from them. I have great parents, and I’m just blessed. I’m not self-destructive. I’m a happy dude.
“Fifty Shades of Black” also stars Kali Hawk, Andrew Bachelor, Affion Crockett, Mike Epps, Jane Seymour, Fred Williard and is directed by Michael Tiddes. It opens January 29.
Syndicated Entertainment journalist Marie Moore reports on film and TV from her New York City base. Contact her at [email protected]
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EUR Bonus Coverage: On the Red Carpet for the Premiere of “Fifty Shades of Black”:
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