Dewayne Perkins

Dewayne Perkins (born November 5, 1990) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and producer. Born and raised in Chicago, he received improv training at The Second City and also worked for iO Theater. His stand-up comedy was recommended by Variety magazine and Just for Laughs comedy festival.

He has appeared on Wild 'n Out and The Upshaws. Perkins was on the writing staff for The Break with Michelle Wolf, the Saved by the Bell reboot, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and he is a staff writer for The Amber Ruffin Show, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. He is the co-writer and star of horror-comedy film The Blackening. and was raised on the south side near Marquette Park.

He left Second City in 2017 to pursue stand-up. When he transitioned to stand-up, he stated that using Twitter improved his joke writing.

In April 2018, 3Peat's sketch The Blackening was released online on Comedy Central, about "an all-Black group of friends (who ain't got no business camping) as they get chased by a serial killer." The sketch originated from a variety show sketch Perkins produced at Second City. The film was released at TIFF in September 2022.

Perkins is a writer for The Amber Ruffin Show and was also a writer for the Saved By the Bell reboot, both released on Peacock in 2020.

In June 2020, Perkins posted a viral Twitter thread alleging institutional racism during his time at The Second City. He "criticized Second City prior’s reluctance to fundraise for the Black Lives Matter movement without also financially supporting police-related causes." He further stated in an interview with The New York Times that he had heard directors use anti-Black slurs, and was traumatized by his overall experience. Perkins will write and executive produce the workplace sitcom Chopped & Screwed for ABC in collaboration with Phoebe Robinson. The show is a multi-camera sitcom centered on a Black barbershop and beauty salon that must come together as one entity to serve the superficial and therapeutic needs of their customers and community. In November 2023 it was announced that Perkins and co-writer Tracy Oliver are developing a sequel. Perkins is also a writer for Sausage Party: Foodtopia.

He is a recurring character in Seth Rogen's Apple TV+ comedy series The Studio.

Personal life Perkins is gay. He came out to his family when he was a teenager, who he described as supportive.

Accolades 2017 – Best Short-Form Digital Project, New York Television Festival - for Starving Artists in collaboration with Aasia Lashay Bullock 2019 – New Faces of Comedy, Just for Laughs 2020 – 10 Comics to Watch, Variety

Awards and nominations

Filmography Television