Marlon Wayans Faces Custody Battle Over Secret 1-Year-Old Daughter

Marlon Wayans is set to battle it out in court with his baby mama, Brittany Moreland. 

According to new court documents obtained by The Blast, Moreland is asking for full custody of and child support for the one-year-old child she shares with the renowned actor.

On Monday, March 18, Moreland submitted a petition to determine the parental relationship between her and Wayans’ daughter, Axl July Ivory Wayans.

In the filing, she seeks joint physical and legal custody of the toddler while granting visitation rights to the “White Chicks” performer.

She also asks that her legal fees and “reasonable expenses of pregnancy and birth” be paid by Wayans. Alongside the petition, Moreland filed an income and expense declaration to enable the pursuit of child support from Wayans.

She further asserts that the 51-year-old earns a monthly salary of $200,000, while her estimated annual expenses while residing with the child amount to $22,080.

The 34-year-old stipulates that she spends $5,000 on her rent per month, nearly $9,000 on child care, groceries, and household supplies, and $1,500 on clothes, including their minor’s clothes and her program uniforms.

Moreland notes that she wants $2,000 for additional expenses, which she notes as “child care” so she can work. Already, Wayans shares two sons, Kai and Shawn, with his ex-girlfriend, Angela Zackery, whom he dated from 1992 to 2013.

The last time Wayans made headlines, it was for candidly admitting to requiring time and education to fully accept his new son. Speaking on his child's decision to transition from Amai to Kai, he confessed to initially experiencing "complete denial." 

In his words:

"My transition as a parent, going from ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance. They know I love them. They see me trying, and I'm happy, but I have to respect their wishes."

Wayans then expressed his desire for his kids to have the freedom to be themselves, emphasizing that the world would not accept them if he did not do it first.

"If they can't get that in the household with their father and their mother, how the f— do I send them out into the world with that kind of confidence? I'm just so proud of them being them," he shared.

The doting dad previously got a chance to prove how much he loves Kai when he came under fire for supporting the eldest Wayans child's trans journey.

The drama began when Wayans posted a message celebrating his son on Instagram in June 2019. The caption read: 

"Happy pride to my pride and joy. I wouldn't change one effing thing about you. Love you to the moon around the sun through the galaxies and back again." 

Within a short time, one person commented, "Another brother from Hollywood who failed his kids," and another claimed, "this is wrong."  

Upon seeing the responses, Wayans stated, "She's 19. She's who she is until or until she don't choose different. Love her for her, not what I want her to be."

Wayans also appears to be doing well with his career, as Variety reported that he is gearing up for his latest comedy endeavor, "Marlon Wayans: Good Grief." 

The gig will see the comedian take the stage at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York and will go live on Amazon Prime Video this summer. 

Asides heartfelt reflections on the lessons learned from his father, Wayans is set to offer a humorous yet poignant glimpse into the unique camaraderie of the "Dead Mama Club."

The "Little Man" actor's latest venture further solidifies comes on the heels of his successful first-look deal with HBO Max. There, he not only wowed audiences with his stand-up special:

"Marlon Wayans: You Know What It Is," but also charmed as a host in the multi-act spectacle, "Marlon Wayans Presents: The Headliners." 

Wayans' cinematic legacy has also been on the rise, with the entertainer landing roles in the "Scary Movie" franchises.

Alongside his critically acclaimed performances in Sofia Coppola's "On the Rocks" and Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream," his work has collectively amassed $1 billion globally.

Venturing into new territories, the New York City native graced the screen with industry heavyweights Viola Davis, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck in Amazon MGM's "Air." 

The 2023 biographical sports drama delves into the high-stakes world of Nike's pursuit of basketball legend Michael Jordan in the 1980s.

Wayans' portrayal of former college basketball player and coach, George Henry Raveling, further cemented his versatility as an actor.