Biography

The Faizon Love Story

Faizon Love is an American actor and comedian whose four-decade career has made him one of comedy's most recognizable faces. Born Langston Faizon Santisima in Santiago de Cuba and raised in Southeast San Diego and Newark, New Jersey, he began performing stand-up at just 15 years old and made his acting debut in an off-Broadway play at 19.

His feature breakthrough came as the unforgettable Big Worm in the 1995 cult classic "Friday" — a role that cemented his place in comedy history. That same era saw him co-star as Wendell Wilcox on Robert Townsend's beloved sitcom "The Parent 'Hood."

Since then, Faizon has become a scene-stealing fixture of American comedy: from Gimbel's manager Wanda in the holiday favorite "Elf," to Leslie in "Blue Crush," to Shane in the ensemble hit "Couples Retreat." A generation of gamers knows him as the voice of Sean "Sweet" Johnson in "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," one of the best-selling video games of all time.

His work spans more than 50 films and dozens of television series, including recent turns on "Step Up: High Water," "The Upshaws," and the acclaimed thriller "The Last Stop in Yuma County." On stage he remains a road-tested headliner who has been making audiences laugh since the 1980s.

Today, Faizon continues to tour, act, and connect with fans directly — including through exclusive pay-per-view specials and the virtual comedy club experience featured right here.

Career highlights

  • Friday — Big Worm (1995)
  • The Parent 'Hood — Wendell Wilcox (1995)
  • Blue Crush — Leslie (2002)
  • Elf — Wanda (2003)
  • Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas — Sean "Sweet" Johnson (voice) (2004)
  • It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia — Coach (2007)
  • Couples Retreat — Shane (2009)
  • Step Up: High Water — Al Baker (2018)
  • Bulletproof 2 — Jack Carter (2020)
  • Back on the Strip — Desmond 'Da Body' Day (2023)
  • The Last Stop in Yuma County — Vernon (2023)
Watch his specials