Marlon Wayans Says He Battled Depression After Losing Nearly 60 Loved Ones In 3 Years
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Marlon Wayans has opened up about his battle with depression while mourning the deaths of nearly 60 family members and friends, who all passed within a span of three years.
In an interview with The New York Times, the New York native was transparent about the impact his grief has had on his mental state, which he says suffered following the deaths of his parents, Howell Stouten, who died at 86 in early April 2023, and Elvira Wayans, who transitioned at 81 in July 2020.
“When you talk about real-life pain, like parents passing, and you can get through that set and you can still be irreverent, edgy, crazy, silly, thought-provoking, and vulnerable, I think that’s growth,” Wayans told the publication.
“I miss my parents dearly, but I’m a different human with my parents gone than I was when they were here. Now I’m a man. I don’t have parents anymore, so I live differently. I understand the quality of life,” he continued. “I pray more, because when I pray I feel like I’m speaking to my parents and that they’re listening. I let them know what’s going on.”
The renowned comedian says his mother’s passing was a breaking point in his life, as it “shattered [him] into a million pieces.” “That was my girl,” Wayans said of his family’s matriarch, whom he reveals played a contributing factor in him never asking a woman for their hand in marriage.
“I never got married, because I never wanted my mother to be jealous of a woman,” the 51-year-old revealed. “I never wanted my mother to feel second to any woman.”
Fortunatley, Wayans says that he’s been able to overcome his grief, in large part due to his time preparing for his upcoming comedy special, Good Grief, as he accredits that period with rescuing him from depression by “learning to laugh in [his] worst circumstances.”
Good Grief will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on June 4.
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