Marlon Wayans has opened up about supporting his transgender son while maintaining a close friendship with controversial comedian Dave Chappelle.
The Scary Movie star, 53, announced in November 2023 that his eldest child, Kai, was trans and uses they/them pronouns. Years earlier, Chappelle had come under fire for jokes he made about the transgender community in his 2021 comedy special The Closer.
However, according to Wayans, he would not “hang with Dave if he was full of hate.”
“I don’t hang with people like that,” the White Chicks actor told Variety in a new interview. “I know Dave’s heart, and his intention isn’t to punch down. Dave wants to freely tell his jokes, and if you’re going to be anti-comedy, then he’s going to keep attacking you until you learn to have a sense of humor. He’s just standing there and defending his front line as a comedian.”
Wayans continued: “As a comedian, I respect his journey. And as a friend, I respect his journey. And for my child, I respect their journey.
“And as the father of my child, I can appropriate my feelings toward my friend and my feelings toward my child, and how we can put those two things together and I can explain both sides. I’m between them, so I can explain both sides to each other.”
When Wayans first revealed his child was trans, he admitted the initial adjustment was difficult, but said he quickly transformed his hesitation into “unconditional love and support.” Kai, 26, is Wayans’ eldest child with his ex-partner Angela Zackery. The former couple also shares a son, Shawn, 24.
“All of my kids are gifts, and our love is the wrapping paper,” Wayans added to Variety. “I’m not here for hate. Transphobia is a form of hate. Homophobia is a form of hate. Racism is a form of hate. All those small-hearted, small-minded people, there’s a hell for you. And if you think you’re gonna bully my child, go somewhere else. It’s not going to happen. I won’t stand for it.”
Wayans has previously defended Kai against homophobic and transphobic attacks. In 2025, he slammed rapper Soulja Boy after the “Crank That” artist hurled a homophobic slur at his child.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
“If @souljaboy had a career he could get canceled for this type of slander. Luckily he ain’t been relevant since 2007,” the actor quipped on X at the time, later sharing a topless photograph of Soulja Boy, joking: “Hey @souljaboy My child had top surgery and still has more chest than you.”
In 2024, Wayans called out Tesla CEO Elon Musk for his treatment of his trans daughter, Vivian.
“I have a Tesla that I’m about to drive over a cliff,” Wayans joked on an episode of the Club Shay Shay podcast. “I don’t like what he be saying about his trans child. You don’t treat them babies like that. You don’t disown your babies.”
