To push into the story of actor, writer, director, husband, father, and son—Wade Allain-Marcus—you have to start with a nod to his parents, Mitch Marcus (producer) and his high-profile mother, the formidable producer and all-around badass, Stephanie Allain. I will sum it up in just one paragraph: It’s clear his parents did what millions of solid parents do—they provided their kid with a strong foundation. And when it’s all said and done, in parenting, that’s the hardest and most important job.
Let’s go down Wade’s credit list (thank you, IMDb). There are 40 acting credits, five writing credits, seven producing credits, six directing credits, two additional crew credits, one composer credit, one editing credit, and three under self. His brother is filmmaker Jesse Allain-Marcus. He is married to producer Melina Lizette and they have two children.
Allain-Marcus is an experienced storyteller, working across the writers’ room, behind the camera, and, of course, in front of it. He played Derek DuBois in HBO’s “Insecure” where he was a recurring presence throughout the series playing the husband of Amanda Seales character, Tiffany DuBois. Before that, he brought intensity as Diego, a co-leader of the Cali Cartel, in FX’s “Snowfall.”
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Wade’s TV credits are tight: he’s been in HBO Max’s limited series “Station Eleven,” Freeform’s “Grown-ish,” and even made an appearance on ABC’s “Castle.” On top of all that, he’s shown his writing chops on “Grown-ish” and “Everything’s Trash” on Freeform. In film—he co-wrote, directed, and starred in Netflix’s “French Dirty.” He’s also taken on significant roles in big-name studio films like “Brooklyn’s Finest,” “Beyond the Lights,” “Take Me Home Tonight,” and “Die in a Gunfight.”
Now that the details are laid out, let me share why I decided to write a story on Wade. Inspiration happened after I fell into the proverbial rabbit hole while watching Abi Morgan’s limited series “Eric” on Netflix. The series, set in 1980s New York, follows a desperate father (Benedict Cumberbatch) searching for his missing nine-year-old son, and it pulled me in like nothing else. I watched it two times in a row, and it was only in my third viewing that I realized the deeply disturbing and utterly complicated character of Ali Gator was none other than Wade Allain-Marcus.
My jaw dropped. The way he stepped into this creepy man of many battles was reminiscent of Dexter from Showtime’s cult classic, and he accomplished this transformation in just six episodes. Abi Morgan, if you’re reading this—I demand an origin story for Ali Gator. I do.
We caught up with director, actor, producer Wade Allain-Marcus while he was taking his car for a wash in Los Angeles, which he now calls home. I’ve known him for a minute, so the interview absolutely veered many times. He’s an interesting man and not easily translatable in a quick Q&A. His work speaks volumes, though, and I stand ten toes down on this statement—Wade Allain-Marcus is one of the greatest actors of his generation, which might confuse some who do not understand the hybrid nature of being a driven storyteller, as his directing and writing skills (and experience) are equally sharp—Samurai sword sharp.
But I will make an effort to capture his essence.
L.A. Sentinel: Wade [Allain-Marcus], it was only on my third viewing of the limited doc series Eric that I realized you were the deliciously complicated Ali Gator—I’m kind of low-key obsessed with him.
Wade Allain-Marcus: (Laughing) When I get an opportunity [to act], it’s not very often, but [I follow] my burning desire, and I feel so very fortunate to be able to act as well. And during downtime, I write and direct, so I don’t have to wait on anyone else.
LAS: Love that and co-sign in total agreement. FYI, please tell Abi Morgan [Eric] that I want an origin story for Ali Gator—franchise that dude like Showtime did with Dexter. You are one of the finest actors of your generation, so Hollywood better look up and snatch you up! So, what’s next?
WAM: Glad you asked. The Children’s March—I’m not sure if you’re familiar with it—happened over a recent, intense week in May. At the time, the whole campaign and demonstrations were dwindling. Martin Luther King Jr. was in jail, and it seemed like things were losing momentum. Then, this wild idea came from James Bevel [James Bevel, a member of SCLC] who suggested, ‘What if we get the kids involved?’ Over the course of that week, thousands of kids marched, and it really reignited the movement. It was incredible to see how these kids, just being kids, played such a pivotal role in the civil rights struggle.
LAS: To answer, sadly, no. I did not know anything about that march. Glad that you are working on developing that story into a cinematic piece? A film?
WAM: No, it will be a limited series.
LAS: That tracks. We need time to tell complicated stories that deserve to be told. Thank you for taking the time to let us into your world.
https://www.instagram.com/wammywade/reels/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Allain
https://www.history.com/news/childrens-crusade-birmingham-civil-rights
