Marlon Wayans has been a comedic actor for as long as we’ve known him. The youngest brother from the comedy empire, Marlon, has been carrying the baton for his famous family as their most visible and now most critically acclaimed member. Despite dramatic roles in the ’00s with films like Requiem for a Dream, it is not until recent years that his serious acting chops have gotten more recognition.
Marlon Wayans turn as Ted White in the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect has been a real game changer for the Scary Movie star. Theodore Richard White was an American businessman, songwriter, music manager, and producer from Detroit, Michigan. Ted was most known as the manager and first husband of soul singer Aretha Franklin. The pair had a tumultuous relationship which included abuse. Wayans had the responsibility of bringing the tragically charming man to life, making fans fall in love with him in the opening sequences before revealing his darker side.
Wayans says he took great care and pride in bringing this character to life and understood the complex balance required to create an authentic portrayal. While catching up with Ryan Cameron on Majic 107.5/97.5, Cameron admitted that Wayans did such a great job that he left the theater not liking him. Marlon says the role had the same effect on black women who approached him in public, saying, “I can’t believe you did that to Ms. Hudson.”
Wayans joked that he was going to step away from dramas before revealing where he draws his pain from for his serious roles. “We all got pain. I lost my momma. Tears is right there waiting.” He then goes on to reveal that he cries during intercourse with women while confessing to them that he misses his momma. Wayans immediately acknowledges the awkwardness of it, asking the women listeners, “don’t that make the ladies wanna hold me?”
Through laughter, Wayans continues the bit, saying, “I know it gets creepy and weird,” before Cameron cuts him off in confusion. The joke then escalates as Wayans lost track of it and spoke briefly about R. Kelly before saying, “I was innocently saying I miss my momma. I said women, I didn’t say children. Ahhh, what I meant to say…?” he says before trailing off, and the clip ends.
