Comedian Wayne Brady is opening up about fatherhood.
In an exclusive interview with People, the actor revealed that life has changed for the better since he publicly embraced his most authentic self.
“It hasn’t changed in the big sense of, ‘Oh I’m out dating and whatnot,’ because really, I’m kind of [keeping] to myself,” Brady, 53, began.
He continued, “I’m a believer in really trying to help the next generation. And I think that if there’s any little black [or] brown kid growing up in any hood — any town USA — [who] feels bad about themselves or ashamed about themselves or less than, I hope that if they see me, and if they’re familiar with me, like, ‘Oh, that’s Wayne. And he just said what? Maybe I can be verbal about myself. So I don’t have to carry that rock.’ ”
“I feel lighter, because I’m me. That lets me be a better actor. Lets me be a better performer onstage. Lets me be a better dad. Lets me be a better partner to someone someday. I’m happier, I’m brighter.”
Brady, who came out as pansexual in August 2023, shares 22-year-old daughter Maile Masako with his ex-wife, Mandie Taketa. He announced in 2024 that he is dad to son Val Henry, who he shares with an ex-girlfriend, Tina.
“I am pansexual,” he said at the time to the outlet. The term is defined as a person that is attracted to other people regardless of their sex or gender.
“Bisexual — with an open mind!” he added with a chuckle.
The Let’s Make a Deal host shared that the death of comedy colleague, Robin Williams, “impacted” him so much that he felt he needed to better understand himself. (Williams died by suicide in 2014 at the age of 63.)
“After Robin’s death, I got involved in certain groups, like Glenn Close’s group, Bring Change to Mind, being very vocal about mental health,” he told People at the time. “Once I opened that door to myself though, I had to start learning about myself, and I had to start owning up to things that maybe I’d either repressed, surprised, or just didn’t wanna deal with.”