Inside Damon Wayans Sr.’s emotional reason for creating hit show

Damon Wayans Sr. has opened up about the deeply personal reason behind his hit sitcom My Wife and Kids and it’s more emotional than fans might expect.

The 65-year-old star created the beloved show shortly after his split from ex-wife Lisa Thorner, with their divorce finalised in 2000 after 16 years of marriage. 

Rather than dwell on heartbreak, Damon turned to storytelling to rediscover joy.

Speaking candidly, he admitted the show became a form of therapy. 

“It was very medicinal,” he shared, explaining how playing family man Michael Kyle helped him relive “the beauty of being married” and the warmth of family life.

And it wasn’t just meaningful as it was fun.

Working alongside co-stars like Tisha Campbell, George Gore II, and Jennifer Freeman, Damon said the set was filled with laughter and love. 

“Nobody wanted to leave,” he recalled. “We’d come in early, stay late — mostly just laughing.”

The chemistry wasn’t forced either. 

Damon revealed that he and Tisha focused less on scripts and more on authenticity. 

“I wanted to see the love in your eyes,” he said, describing their approach to portraying a believable family dynamic.

Set in Connecticut, the sitcom followed a confident dad trying and often failing, to stay in charge of his household. 

But off-screen, it was the genuine bond between cast members that made it special.

Even 25 years later, Damon is stunned by the show’s global impact. 

Fans from Paris to Brazil still call him Michael Kyle, a role he says never truly left him.

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