Brady is most recognized for his role as a regular on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” (1998–2007, 2013–present), which he also produces. From 2001 through 2004, Wayne developed, produced, and performed in ABC’s “The Wayne Brady Show,” a variety show that later became a chat show. Despite the show’s cancellation, Brady’s popularity has skyrocketed because to his kind, down-to-earth demeanor and everyman attitude.
Wayne has appeared in a number of television shows, including “Chappelle’s Show” (2004), “Sesame Street” (2004), “Stargate SG-1” (2005), “Everybody Hates Chris” (2006–2008), “30 Rock” (2007), and “Psych” (2012), and he played James Stinson, Neil Patrick Harris’s half-brother, on 13 episodes of “How I Met Your Mother” (2006–2014).
From 2007 to 2009, he hosted the Fox game show “Don’t Forget the Lyrics!” and in 2009, he became the presenter of CBS’s “Let’s Make a Deal” revival. Brady has two albums out, “A Long Time Coming” (2008) and “Radio Wayne” (2010). (2011).
Early Years:
Wayne Brady was born Wayne Alphonso Brady in Columbus, Georgia, on June 2, 1972. His mother, Linda, worked in a hospital, and his father, Wayne, was a drill sergeant in the Army; Wayne was moved to Orlando, Florida, to live with his paternal grandmother, Valerie, whom he refers to as “Mom,” because his father was overseas and his mother was just 17 at the time of his birth.
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Brady developed a stutter as a result of being bullied as a child. He graduated from Dr. Phillips High School in 1989 and was pals with Joey Fatone, a future member of *NSYNC. Wayne began performing in local theater performances at the age of 16 and refined his improv abilities at SAK Comedy Lab, despite his plans to join the military. In 1990, he enrolled in the University of Miami, and in 1996, he relocated to Los Angeles.
Career:
Brady made his television debut in a 1990 episode of “Superboy,” followed by guest appearances on “I’ll Fly Away” and “In the Heat of the Night” three years later. He participated on “Kwik Witz,” an improvisational sketch comedy competition, from 1996 to 1999, and three episodes of the British/original version of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” from 1998 to 1999.
The American version premiered the following year, and Wayne, along with Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie, were regulars on the Drew Carey-hosted series. Brady received three Emmy nods for his work on the show, and the third time was the charm – he won the prize in 2003. He stayed on the show until it stopped in 2007, then returned in 2013 for the revival, which is hosted by Aisha Tyler and airs on The CW.
Wayne appeared in the films “Going to the Mat” (2004), “Roll Bounce” (2005), and “Crossover” (2006), as well as lending his voice to “Clifford’s Really Big Movie” (2004), “Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild” (2005), and “The Adventures of Brer Rabbit” (2006) during the original run of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” (2006).
He also appeared in two impromptu episodes of “The Drew Carey Show” (1999, 2000), as Lazardo V The Magician in “Geppetto” (2000), and presented the Miss America competition (2002). Wayne began hosting the variety show “The Wayne Brady Show” in August 2001, and when it was discontinued in March 2002, it was resurrected six months later as a daytime chat show.
He won two Daytime Emmys for the show, as well as the award for Outstanding Talk Show (tied with “The View”) in 2003. Brady made his Broadway debut in 2004 as Billy Flynn in “Chicago,” and he would go on to perform in “Kinky Boots” (2015–2016, 2018) and “Freestyle Love Supreme” (2017–2018). (2019-2020). He also played Tom Collins in the Hollywood Bowl version of “Rent” (2010) and Aaron Burr in a Chicago production of “Hamilton” (2017).
Wayne began hosting “Let’s Make a Deal” in 2009, and he has received more than a dozen Daytime Emmy nominations for it. In 2011, he co-hosted the NAACP Image Awards with Holly Robinson Peete.
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He participated on the improv comedy series “Trust Us with Your Life” in 2012, and from 2013 to 2018, he portrayed Clover the Rabbit on the Disney Channel sitcom “Sofia the First.” In 2018, Brady won a recurring position on the USA network’s “Colony,” as well as a role on the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful” as Dr. Reese Buckingham.
In 2019, he won “The Masked Singer,” and in 2020, he appeared on The CW’s “Black Lightning” as Tyson Sykes / Gravedigger. Wayne was named as the presenter and producer of the Fox variety show “Game Of Talents” in November 2020.
Private Life:
From December 31, 1993, to September 21, 1995, Wayne was married to Diana Lasso. On April 3, 1999, he married dancer Mandie Taketa, and their daughter Maile Masako was born on February 3, 2003. In April 2008, Brady and Taketa divorced. Wayne has been upfront about his battle with serious depression, revealing that on his 42nd birthday, he had a mental collapse.
Brady has been a supporter of Ronald McDonald House Charities for over a decade and is a member of the organization’s celebrity board, the Friends of RMHC. Wayne, along with actor/director/screenwriter Bill Duke, was made an honorary member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity in 2020.
Nominations and Awards:
Brady earned his first Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host for “The Wayne Brady Show” in 2003, as well as a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” in 2003.
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As of this writing, he has received 19 Daytime Emmy nominations, as well as Outstanding Talk Show Host in 2004, Outstanding Original Song for “30,000 Reasons to Love Me” (an improvised rap he did on “Let’s Make a Deal”) in 2014, and Outstanding Game Show Host for “Let’s Make a Deal” in 2018. Wayne was nominated for a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for “A Change Is Gonna Come” in 2009, and he’s also been nominated for the Behind the Voice Actors Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and NAMIC Vision Awards.
Commercial Real Estate:
Brady listed his 4,200 square foot Sherman Oaks house for $3 million in November 2017, two years after purchasing it for just over $2.5 million. In June 2018, the 5-bedroom home was sold for $2.65 million. He sold a property in Sherman Oaks for $1.8 million in 2013, then six months later, he bought a three-bedroom condo in Pacific Palisades for $1.75 million, which he sold for $1.8 million two years later.
Net Worth
Wayne Brady has a net worth of $12 million and works as an actor, comedian, singer, and television personality in the United States.