Essence Atkins has shut down the rumors that she and Marlon Wayans dated at any point. The actress addressed the speculations that have long plagued their friendship in a recent appearance. She said the rumors bothered her because they made light of her true friendship with the Wayans brother. Atkins also shared how incredible the Wayans family has been over the years she has worked with them.
Essence Atkins Denies Dating Marlon Wayans
Essence Atkins and Marlon Wayans have a deep history as friends and co-actors. Their friendship has grown stronger over the years, and they have both expressed their love and appreciation for each other several times. However, this has stirred up speculations and unfounded rumors that the duo dated.
Atkins shut this down in an interview on SiriusXM radio show, Effective Immediately, on March 13. She said, “I don’t like when people say me and Marlon dated. Never happened. Never happened. One of the reasons I get so upset about it is because it undermines the fact that we are such good friends and he has warred for me, he has championed me, he has advocated for me just based on [general principle], just based on love, brother-sister love, and it does exist, and it can exist.”
Essence Atkins Says Dating Marlon Wayans Would Have Limited Her Career
Essence Atkins also noted that she wouldn’t have gotten this far if she and Marlon Wayans dated. “Everybody who is single and attractive does not have to sleep together,” she told her hosts. The Haunted House star added that failing to realize this makes people reckless. She revealed that she discovered early enough that Marlon is not her person despite him being “very handsome, “very talented, and [being] an incredible human being.”
She continued, “If I hadn’t had wisdom and discernment to know that he’s not my person, I would have forfeited how many projects? How much money? When I would have let go of for a fun night or two or three. Nah. I’d rather get that paper and have fun with my boy, my friend, my brother. That’s who he is to me and I have gained all of these other brothers because of it.”
Essence Atkins Is Always Ready To Work With The Wayans
Essence Atkins has worked with Marlon Wayans and the rest of the Wayans family since 1995. She began with The Wayans Bros before moving to the Haunted House films, where she and Marlon played a couple. Essence Atkins and Marlon Wayans also played divorced co-parents to two children on the sitcom Marlon. The actress’ dream of working with all Wayans brothers came true with her starring on CBS’ Poppa’s House. Before then, Atkins had never worked with Damon Wayans Sr.
“I had worked with Junior before [but] Senior I had never worked with,” she said, per Lakes Media. “He was kind of the only one of the family that I hadn’t worked with. … He was like … the final frontier. I was like, if I can work with Senior, then I’ll have worked with all of them.” Atkins revealed that Marlon secured her role by pitching her to Damon Sr. He was like, ‘If you don’t hire Essence … you’re stupid.’ He was like, ‘She’s amazing. She’s the best. She’s who you want on set with you,” she recalled.
Essence Atkins has enjoyed working and said she is always ready to heed Marlon Wayans and the family’s calls. She said on Effective Immediately, “I tell ’em, ‘Whatever y’all call me and ask me to do, I’mma say yes’ because I always have such a good time. Besides how talented they all are … They’re such incredible human beings. Like, walking into an environment with them, it’s just so loving, so fun, so cool. They treat everybody with kindness.”
Essence Atkins and Marlon Wayans’s friendship is rare and beautiful. Hopefully, they will continue to enjoy an incredible relationship that will inspire more loving and trusting friendships.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
