Biography
When asked to describe herself, Daphne Wayans will tell you she's her children's mom - their happiness her calling, their well-being her mission, their pain her own, and their love her life. Her focus on family is impossible to overstate and immeasurably unyielding. She is a mother. And she wouldn't have it any other way. As the ex-wife of Hollywood mogul Keenen Ivory Wayans, and close-knit friend for over 20 years of Nicole Murphy (ex-wife of Eddie Murphy) and Sheree Fletcher (ex-wife of Will Smith), Daphne is a natural fit for the season-2 cast of VH1's "Hollywood Exes."
Born and raised an only child in Inglewood, California, Daphne's relationship with her blue-collar parents was nurturing and unrestricted, one in which she was encouraged to be and do whatever she truly desired. With a passion for the arts, she attended Otis Parsons and FIDM, but was always drawn to the allure of a family.
As a teenager, Daphne spent summer vacations with her friends Shawn and Marlon Wayans. It was here where her relationship with Keenen began. First as a friend, who made her laugh like she had never laughed before. But as she grew up, so grew her feelings. And at the age of 18, the only child was welcomed into the vibrant and ubiquitous Wayans family, to which she and Keenen added with their own beautiful brood of five: Jolie, Nala, Keenen, Bella, Daphne.
Ever the people person, and with an innate inclination to help, Daphne has become a confidant and trusted adviser in her A-list Hollywood circles. She is a strong supporter of many philanthropic causes - including The Way to Happiness Foundation, Keep a Child Alive and New Village Leadership Academy - and is a woman of unshakable faith and values. She is an ardent traveler and a lover of languages, and enjoys expressing her care of others by way of her culinary skills. But first and foremost, Daphne remains a mother. And one of the most devoted and consummate ones at that.
