Marlon Wayans Refused To Cast Tiffany Haddish In Movie, Claims Actress Was Always Immature and Inappropriate, Says She Needed To Mature

Tiffany Haddish is many things.  She’s a comedian, an actress, an author, and has even featured on an artist’s record as a rapper.  Now, the Emmy Award-Winning actress continues to prove that “She ready” and can add talk show host to her resume, as she’s been filling in as the guest host for Ellen Degeneres on her talk show this week.

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A post shared by Tiffany Haddish (@tiffanyhaddish) on Sep 11, 2020 at 8:47am PDT

The “Girls Trip” actress had the pleasure of interviewing actor and comedian Marlon Wayans as a guest on the show this week, and it was revealed that they have actually been friends for years.  During the late 90s, he and his brother and then frequent collaborator, Shawn Wayans, met Haddish when she was 16 at a comedy camp, and Marlon recalls “You was loud even as a little kid,” to the actress.

The chance encounter would lead to a years-long friendship between Haddish and the Wayans family.  However, even though they sustained a great friendship, she could never land a role in their movie, even though auditioning, and Haddish, never shy of getting or giving information, wanted to know why.

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A post shared by Marlon Wayans (@marlonwayans) on Oct 19, 2020 at 3:43pm PDT

She says to Wayans, “I know we friends and I know you love me. I love you.  You have helped me in so many different aspects in life, gave me some great advice. But this what I want to know. I have auditioned for so many of your movies, your family. Why do I never get cast? You even made a role, ‘Tiffany Haddish type.’ I auditioned for myself! I auditioned to play me!”

In true Marlon Wayans fashion, he jokes first saying, “You wasn’t right for the part,” before getting serious.  

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A post shared by Tiffany Haddish (@tiffanyhaddish) on Oct 20, 2020 at 2:13pm PDT

“Here’s what happened. Me and my family we always say you’re funny,” he explains. “As producers you hire people, you cast people. You were always funny. But you was always on 10. Sometimes you’d just be like, inappropriate. It’s like a love scene and you want to sit on the actor’s lap and fart. And it’s like, ‘Tiffany, it’s not for this scene!’”

Knowing Haddish’s history of struggling, including being homeless at one point, the family could have offered her a hand out indeed.   However, maybe their approach of tough love tied in with seeing something great within her that Haddish herself had to tap into, helped to mold her into the person she is now.  

“Maturation hit you,” he said. “It’s like, for me even, right now I feel like I’m ready. I’ve been preparing 30 years for what’s happening to me now. It all happens to you at a certain time when maturity and that stardom hits you. Never nothin’ personal. We love you. Always thought you was funny. Me and my family, we proud of you.”

Haddish can be seen in the upcoming Spongebob film as well as the upcoming comedy film, “Here Today” starring alongside Billy Crystal.