Early life

Wayans was born in New York City, the daughter of Elvira Alethia (Green), a homemaker and social worker, and Howell Stouten Wayans, a supermarket manager. Her family was involved in the Jehovah's Witnesses religion. She and her family lived in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood. She is sister of Keenen, Dwayne, Damon, Sr., Nadia, Shawn and Marlon. She graduated from Seward Park High School and Wesleyan University.

Career

In film she appeared in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (both directed by her brother Keenen), and had a starring role in the art film Talking About Sex and later co-starred in Juwanna Mann as homosexual center Latisha Jansen. She starred with her siblings on the Fox variety show In Living Color and A Low Down Dirty Shame. Her other television work includes regular appearances on the sitcom In the House with LL Cool J and a recurring role on A Different World. Recently, she has worked as a story editor on her brother Damon's sitcom My Wife and Kids.

In 2008 she co-wrote a series of children's books with her husband Kevin Knotts entitled Amy Hodgepodge about a multiracial girl adjusting to life in public school after years of homeschooling.

In 2011 she got a chance to showcase her dramatic chops with a supporting role as a mother who struggles to understand her 17-year-old daughter in Pariah. She was nominated (alongside co-star Pernell Walker) for Best Supporting Actress at the 2012 Black Reel Awards but lost to Octavia Spencer for the The Help.

In Living Color

Characters

• Benita Butrell
• Cousin Elsee
• Laquita (I Love Laquita)
• Lil' Magic
• Mrs. Brooks
• Reesie (Cephus & Reesie)

Impressions

• Altovise Davis
• La Toya Jackson
• Esther Rolle
• Crystal Waters
• Grace Jones
• LaWanda Page
• Oprah Winfrey
• Tracy Chapman
• Della Reese
• Lynne Thigpen
• Whitney Houston
• Vanessa L. Williams
• Cree Summer
• Tina Turner
• Sandra "Pepa" Denton
• Telma Hopkins

Filmography

Year	Title	Role
1987	Cathy	Charlene Andrews
1987-1988	A Different World (TV series)	Allison Guisewite
1988	Cathy's Last Resort	Charlene Andrews
	I'm Gonna Git You Sucka	Nightclub Singer
1990	Dream On	Nicki
1990-1993	In Living Color (TV series)	Various
1991	Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime	Various
1994	Talking About Sex	Andie Norman
	Floundering	Unemployment
	A Low Down Dirty Shame	Diane
1995-1998	In the House (TV series)	Tonia Harris
	The Wayans Bros. (TV series)	Cousin Shelia
1996	Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood	Mrs. Johnson
1996-1997	Waynehead (TV series)	Mom (voice)
1997	Critics and Other Freaks	Bettina
1998	Getting Personal (TV series)	Rhonda
2002	Juwanna Mann	Latisha Jansen
2006	Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness (TV)	Momma/Joyce (voice)
	Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-Roc's Street (TV)	Momma (voice)
2007	What News? (TV)	Pearl "Lightning" Davis
2009	Dance Flick	Ms. Dontwannabebothered
2011	Pariah	Audrey
2012	Criminal Minds (TV)	Darlene Beckett
2013	Reckless	Vi
2016	New Girl	Susan

[ Source: Wikipedia ]