Wayne Brady

Brady in 2019, photo by DFree/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Wayne Alphonso Brady

Place of Birth: Columbus, Georgia, U.S.

Date of Birth: June 2, 1972

Ethnicity: African-Caribbean [Virgin Islander, some Kittian]

Wayne Brady is an American actor, voice actor, singer, comedian, game show host, and television personality. He was the host of The Wayne Brady Show from 2001 to 2004. As a host or participant, he has also starred on the reality/competition shows Kwik Witz, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Don’t Forget the Lyrics!, Let’s Make a Deal, Trust Us with Your Life, The Masked Singer, Game of Talents, and Wayne Brady: The Family Remix. His acting roles include the shows How I Met Your Mother, Sofia the First, The Loud House, Colony, The Bold and the Beautiful, Black Lightning, The Good Fight, and American Gigolo; the films Clifford’s Really Big Movie, Roll Bounce, Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild, The Adventures of Brer Rabbit, Crossover (2006), Foodfight!, Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright, 1982 (2013), The Hero of Color City, Blindfire, and Blank (2022); and the made-for-tv movies Geppetto and Going to the Mat.

He is the son of Linda Marie Newton and Wayne Brady. His parents are from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Wayne has said that he has roots on St. Thomas and St. Croix, and also on Saint Kitts. Wayne was raised in Orlando, Florida, by his paternal grandmother and aunt. He has a daughter with his former wife, actress, writer, and dancer Mandie Taketa; and a son with his former partner Tina.

Wayne’s paternal grandmother is named Valerie Dorsett/Dorset, later Peterson (the daughter of Cyril “Parky” Dorsett/Dorset). Valerie was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands.