NBC/Tyler Golden(NEW YORK) — Marlon Wayans, who’s known for his catalogue of sitcoms and comedic films, admits he also has a serious side. While he’s taken on his latest comedic role as a quirky, fun-loving divorced father of two on NBC’s Marlon, Wayans says he’s definitely like to “do more drama.”
“I chose to do standup. So, my thing as an artist is that I want to do it all,” Wayans tells ABC Radio. “And I want to be credible in anything I do. So I will do more drama, with a good director and a great role.”
However, for Wayans’, those roles may not come that easily. Wayans says that even though he “know[s] how to act” and has studied the dramatic arts since he was a child, he feels that he’s not often tapped for dramatic roles because he’s just not seen as a serious actor.
“But there’s other dramatic actors that they go to… first,” Wayans explains. “One day, I’ll be a big enough star where those things will come my way. And the great ones, I’ll go, ‘Hey, let’s work with this director and put it together.'”
Fortunately, Wayans says he’s OK with it since he “adores comedy” and it currently “pays [his] bills.”
“Comedy is to me, it’s my purpose. God put me here to do this,” Wayans says. “God put me here to put smiles on people’s faces. ‘What do you do for a living? I put smiles on people’s faces.’ And in turn, I keep a smile in my heart.”
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