Keenen Ivory Wayans is a multi-talented writer, director, and producer born on June 8, 1958, in New York City. He is the second of ten children to Howell Wayans, a grocery store manager, and Elvira Wayans, a social worker and singer. Keenen attended Seward Park High School and majored in engineering at Alabama's Tuskegee University, but dropped out during his senior year to pursue a career in comedy.
Influenced by Richard Pryor, Keenen started his stand-up career in New York, but later relocated to Los Angeles to pursue film and TV opportunities. He gained recognition through bit parts in TV shows such as "CHiPs," "The Renegades," and "Cheers." Keenen's breakthrough came with the TV military series "For Love and Honor" (1983),where he played Army Pvt. Duke Johnson.
Keenen's collaboration with Eddie Murphy on the documentary "Eddie Murphy: Raw" (1987) earned him a writing credit, and he later partnered with Robert Townsend to create the film "Hollywood Shuffle" (1987),a satire highlighting the plight of black actors in 1970s Hollywood. He went solo with the 1970s blaxploitation parody "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" (1988),which became a major hit.
Keenen's biggest success came with the TV satire "In Living Color" (1990),which he created, wrote, hosted, and starred in. The show became a defiant movement of inclusion, showcasing up-and-coming comics and launching the careers of his siblings, as well as Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx. However, creative differences and financial issues led to Keenen's abrupt departure from the show in 1992.
After leaving "In Living Color," Keenen continued to work in film and TV, writing, directing, and starring in projects such as "A Low Down Dirty Shame" (1994),"Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood" (1996),and "Most Wanted" (1997). He also attempted his own nighttime talk show, "The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show" (1997),which did not catch fire.
In the 2000s, Keenen directed and co-wrote the horror film spoof "Scary Movie" (2000) and its sequel, as well as the crime comedies "White Chicks" (2004) and "Little Man" (2006). He continued to work with his family, appearing in projects such as "Dance Flick" (2009) and "Fast Girl" (2008).
After a few years of laying low, Keenen returned to direct several episodes of the comedy series "The Last O.G." (2018) starring Tracy Morgan.
