Faizon Love is one of those actors you’ve definitely seen, even if you can’t always place the name. He’s the guy who made “Big Worm” unforgettable in Friday and gave us a few good laughs as Wanda in Elf. With his deep voice and big personality, he’s been a steady presence in comedy for decades.
Here’s the thing about Faizon Love: he never needed to be the lead to steal a scene. He just shows up and makes it funnier.
Let’s break down his life, career, and the bumps along the way.
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Quick Bio Table
|
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
|
Full Name |
Langston Faizon Santisima |
|
Born |
June 14, 1968 |
|
Birthplace |
Santiago de Cuba, Cuba |
|
Citizenship |
US |
|
Occupation |
Actor, Comedian |
|
Years Active |
1983–present |
Who Is Faizon Love?
Faizon Love is an American actor and comedian, born Langston Faizon Santisima. He came into the world on June 14, 1968, in Santiago de Cuba.
That makes him pretty surprising as a Cuban-born comedian who built his name in American comedy films. To be honest, a lot of fans don’t realize that part of his story.
He’s best known for comedy, but he’s done a bit of everything over the years.
Early Life and Childhood
Love describes himself as a military brat. His dad served in the U.S. Navy, so the family moved around a lot when he was young.
Because of that, he grew up in two very different places. He spent time in Southeast San Diego, California, and also in Newark, New Jersey.
What’s interesting is how those two cities shaped his sense of humor. Both places gave him plenty of personality to draw from later.
School Days
He went to Morse High School in Southeast San Diego. That’s where his teenage years played out before comedy pulled him in.
How Faizon Love Got Into Comedy
This part says a lot about him. Faizon Love started doing stand-up comedy at just 15 years old.
Think about that for a second. Most teens that age are worried about homework, not working a crowd at a comedy club.
By the time he was 19, he made his acting debut in an off-Broadway play. So the foundation was there early.
Breaking Into Film and TV
His film debut came in Bebe’s Kids. He voiced comedian Robin Harris, who had passed away before production started. Love did such a close impression that it kept Harris’s spirit in the film.
After that, he landed a role in The Meteor Man, directed by Robert Townsend. Townsend liked him enough to cast him again.
The Parent ‘Hood Years
Townsend brought Love onto his sitcom The Parent ‘Hood, where he played Wendell Wilcox. The show ran from 1995 to 1999, and it gave Love steady TV exposure.
That role helped people get used to seeing his face on screen every week.
The Role That Made Him a Star: Big Worm in Friday
If you ask most fans about Faizon Love, they’ll mention Friday. He played Big Worm, the ice cream truck drug dealer with the curlers in his hair.
It was a small role, but he made it huge. People still quote those lines today.
Here’s the thing about that performance. It proved he could take a few minutes of screen time and turn it into something memorable.
More Movie Highlights
After Friday, the offers kept coming. Faizon Love built a long list of film credits, and a few really stand out.
Elf (2003)
He played Wanda in Elf, the holiday classic with Will Ferrell. It’s one of those movies families watch every December, so his face stays in the rotation year after year.
Couples Retreat (2009)
Love co-starred in Couples Retreat, the comedy about four couples at a tropical resort. It was one of his bigger studio films, and it put him alongside a strong ensemble cast.
Other Notable Films
His filmography is packed. A few worth mentioning:
- Don’t Be a Menace (1996)
- Money Talks (1997)
- The Replacements (2000)
- The Fighting Temptations (2003)
- Idlewild (2006)
Faizon Love as a Voice Actor
Plenty of gamers know Faizon Love without ever seeing his face. In 2004, he voiced Sean “Sweet” Johnson in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Sweet is the older brother of the main character and the leader of the Grove Street Families. For a whole generation of players, that voice is iconic.
His archival recordings were also used in the 2021 remaster of the game. So that performance lives on.
Television Roles Over the Years
Faizon Love kept popping up on TV across many decades. He showed up on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Black-ish, and My Name Is Earl.
He also had a main role as Al Baker on Step Up: High Water, which ran from 2018 to 2022. So he never really slowed down.
To be honest, his TV resume is just as deep as his movie list.
Controversies and Legal Trouble
Now for the harder part of his story. Faizon Love has been in the headlines for reasons that have nothing to do with comedy.
It’s worth being straight about these, since they’re a big part of the public record.
The 2017 Airport Incident
In March 2017, Love was arrested for misdemeanor assault in Columbus, Ohio. The altercation happened with a valet at the airport, and video showed him throwing the man to the ground.
He first pleaded not guilty, then later pleaded no contest. He got a $500 fine and a 180-day suspended jail sentence.
The 2022 Lawsuit
In 2022, a former personal assistant named Hevekiah Walker sued him and his company for sexual harassment. Love didn’t respond to the complaint, which led to a default judgment against him in 2023.
The court awarded Walker $500,000 plus interest and costs. An earlier, separate harassment claim from 2018 was settled.
The 2025 Hotel Clerk Case
In February 2025, Love was accused of attacking a female hotel clerk with a credit card machine after a dispute over his booking. By July 2025, a San Diego County judge ruled there was enough evidence to move the felony case forward.
Love pleaded not guilty in that case.
Personal Life
Faizon Love tends to keep his private life mostly out of the spotlight. What’s known publicly is fairly limited.
He has a child with Tiffany Lee. In June 2026, he was arrested in Tampa, Florida, for contempt of court after failing to appear in connection with a paternity suit she filed.
Beyond that, details about his family stay pretty quiet.
What Makes Faizon Love Stand Out
So why does his name keep coming up? A few reasons.
First, that voice. It’s deep, distinct, and instantly recognizable. Second, his timing. He knows how to land a joke without trying too hard.
And third, range. He’s done comedy, drama, voice work, and TV. Not every actor pulls that off.
Final Thoughts
Faizon Love has had a long, busy, and complicated career. He gave us some genuinely funny roles, lent his voice to a legendary video game, and stayed working for more than three decades.
His story isn’t all smooth, and the legal issues are a real part of his record. Still, his impact on comedy films is hard to deny.
If you want the full timeline of his roles, awards, and ongoing news, you can read more on his Wikipedia page.
