How many Wayans siblings are there? All about the siblings amid NAACP hall of fame induction

The Wayans family were inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame at the 56th edition of the awards ceremony on February 22, 2025. The Wayans brothers and sisters were recognized at the grand event with awards for their innovations and contributions to the world of entertainment, notably comedy.

For decades, the Wayans family has been continuing their legacy of contributing to the world of entertainment. The Wayans brothers are renowned globally for their hilarious movie shows and TV shows.

Fans are keen to know more about the Wayans brothers and sisters, and the family tree, following their induction into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame. They are a large family of five brothers and five sisters.

Here's what we know about the Wayans brothers and sisters

Born to Howell Wayans and Elvira Wayans, the ten siblings grew up in New York City. They were brought up in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan. Howell Wayans earned his livelihood as a supermarket manager and his wife Elvira was a homemaker and social worker.

Read on to know about the Wayans brothers and sisters.

Born on July 20, 1956, Dwayne Wayans is the eldest sibling of the family. Some of his most popular projects of composing soundtracks and music were for My Wife and Kids, Dance Flick, The Underground, and Little Man, among others.

Keenen Ivory Wayans is considered to be the most famous among the Wayan brothers. He was born on June 8, 1958, and is loved by fans for his hilarious performances and comedic satire. He has been a part of multiple projects over the years and played his roles as a writer, director, and actor. Some of his many appreciated projects include In Living Color, Hollywood Shuffle, Scary Movie, and White Chicks.

Diedra Wayans is the eldest sister and she was born on August 17, 1959. According to IMDb, she is one of The Dr. Julian Wright Show's producers. Previously, she also produced A Polished Soul.

Born on September 4, 1960, Damon Wayans has been associated with multiple phenomenal projects over the years, including In Living Color and Saturday Night Live. He has also been a part of My Wife and Kids, Poppa’s House, and Lethal Weapon.

The next sibling is Kimberly Nichole Wayans, born on October 16, 1961. She debuted in the entertainment world with Hollywood Shuffle in 1987. Some of her prominent appearances include In Living Color, A Black Lady Sketch Show, and Criminal Minds.

Elvira Wayans, born on January 4, 1964, is a screenwriter. According to IMDb, she was a writer on My Wife and Kids.

Nadia Wayans, born on January 20, 1965, has acted in only one project, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, according to IMDb.

Born on April 25, 1966, Vonnie Wayans prefers staying far away from the limelight. She is a former screenwriter, as per Wikipedia.

Shawn Wayans was born on January 19, 1971. His contribution to the entertainment world included a long series of films and shows. Some of the projects he has been associated with are The Wayans Bros, Scary Movie, Scary Movie 2, Don’t Be a Menace, White Chicks, and Waynehead.

Youngest sibling Marlon Wayans (born July 23, 1972) is one of the most famous Wayans brothers. Widely known for his performances, he has featured in many shows and films, some of them by his elder siblings. As an actor, writer and producer, He has been a part of I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, White Chicks, the Scary Movie series, Mo’ Money, The Wayans Bros, Dance Flick, Little Man, Hollywood Game Night, Mad TV, and more.

Wayans brothers and sisters attended the NAACP gala

Damon Wayans Jr., Damon Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Damien Dante Wayans, Gregg Wayans, Craig Wayans, Marshay Wayans, and Chaunté Wayans were photographed at the 56th NAACP Image Awards on February 22, 2025.

The famed awards night was hosted at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Damon Wayans shared heartwarming anecdotes in his acceptance speech. While recalling heartfelt memories, he recounted how hard his older brother Keenen worked to establish a career in comedy. Damon said:

"In 1975, Keenen first walked on stage at the improvisation club to pursue his dreams of being a standup comic."

Lauding his older brother for his relentless efforts to gain success, Keenen continued:

"My brother worked hard at it, spending most of his nights going club to club just to get some stage time to perfect an act. I can still feel the pride of watching him on stage."

Marlon Wayans walked down memory lane and talked about the time when Keenen expressed his desire to become a comedian to their mother. She was surprised and asked his son to have a backup plan. However, Keenen was determined to achieve his goal. He responded to his mother, saying:

"There is no backup plan in success. It is comedy or nothing."

Marlon thanked Keenen for introducing his family and expressed gratitude to their parents, God, and fans.