Langston Faizon SantisimaIn a 2021 legal document from the California Department of Industrial Relations, this performer was referred to as "Langston Faizon Santisima k.p.a. [known professionally as] 'Faizon Love'". (born June 14, 1968), better known by the stage name Faizon Andre Love, is a Cuban-American actor and comedian. He is best known for roles in the comedy films The Meteor Man (1993), Friday (1995), Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996), B.A.P.S. (1997), The Replacements (2000), Made, Mr Bones (both 2001), Blue Crush (2002), Elf (2003) and Couples Retreat (2009). As a voice actor, he portrayed Sean "Sweet" Johnson in the action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) and on television played Wendell Wilcox on the sitcom The Parent 'Hood (1995–1999).
Early life Love says he was born in Santiago de Cuba on June 14, 1968. In a 2026 podcast appearance with Barry Katz, Love said he felt the need to be vague in discussions about how he and his family departed Cuba during his infancy, and declined to say if anyone defected but he implied money was paid to expedite the process.
He described himself as a military brat who was raised in Southeast San Diego, California and Newark, New Jersey because of his father's career in the United States Navy. He graduated from Morse High School in San Diego.
Career
Love got his start as a stand-up comedian at age 15, and made his acting debut in an off-Broadway play at the age of 19. His film debut was the animated comedy Bebe's Kids, for which he provided the voice of Robin Harris whose concept was used to create the film but who died before production began. Love offered a close vocal impression of Harris, and was credited under the Faizon Love name.
Love's live-action debut was a supporting role in The Meteor Man, starring Robert Townsend. Townsend then cast Love in a co-starring role on his sitcom The Parent 'Hood. Love's breakout performance was as drug supplier Big Worm in the 1995 film Friday.
Follow-up films have included 3 Strikes, Elf, Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, Money Talks, Wonderland, The Fighting Temptations, and Idlewild. In 2001, Love guest-starred in the Ludacris single "Freaky Thangs" from the album Word of Mouf. The same year, he made a cameo appearance as a bus driver, in the music video for Lil Jon & The East Side Boys' single "Put Yo Hood Up".
Love lent his voice to the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004), portraying Sean "Sweet" Johnson, the leader of the Grove Street Families and the older brother of the game's protagonist. He co-starred in Couples Retreat (2009), a comedy film chronicling four couples who partake in therapy sessions at a tropical island resort.Trio of Ladies Going on Couples Retreat at TV Guide. October 15, 2008. Retrieved on October 15, 2008.
In 2012, he played Stringer Bell in a satirical trailer for The Wire: The Musical. In June of that year, he started to appear in a series of commercials for Boost Mobile, promoting its new 4G phones.
Controversy, lawsuits, and arrests In 2014, Love posted a series of controversial tweets in the wake of the sexual assault cases against Bill Cosby. Defending Cosby against the charges, he used profanity and racial slurs against Cosby's accusers as well as comedian Hannibal Buress, who had been credited with bringing wider attention to the allegations in a stand-up routine. In 2015, Love once again posted tweets in defense of Cosby, dismissing his fellow African-Americans who believed the allegations as "spineless monkeys".
On March 7, 2017, Love was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor assault in Columbus, Ohio. An altercation with a valet had occurred at John Glenn Columbus International Airport, with video evidence showing Love grabbing the valet behind the neck in the baggage claim area and throwing him onto the ground and into a desk. Love pleaded not guilty, but later pleaded no contest and received a $500 fine and a 180-day suspended jail sentence.
In 2017, Love terminated his contract with talent management firm The Gersh Agency. He subsequently did not pay agreed commissions to Gersh for their duties in negotating his appearances on Step Up: High Water, saying their oral agreement did not amount to a binding contract. This led to Gersh filing a complaint with the California Department of Industrial Relations. A 2021 ruling came down in Gersh's favor, saying Love was free to end his relationship with Gersh, but also noted emails Love echanged with Gersh on the Step Up negotiations amounted to a binding contract which he was obligated to fulfill as originally agreed.California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. The Gersh Agency, Inc. v. Langston Faizon Santisima p/k/a “Faizon Love,” et al. Case No. TAC-52727, Determination of Controversy, 26 July 2021. California Department of Industrial Relations, www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/TAC/20210727%20TAC-52727%20Gersh%20v.%20Faizon_Determination%20of%20Controversy.pdf.
In 2018, a personal assistant to Love sued him for sexual harassment; the case was later settled.
In 2022, a personal assistant to Love, Hevekiah Walker, sued him and his company, Assembly Robot Inc., alleging that Love sexually harassed her during her five-month tenure as Love's personal assistant in Love's Gwinnett County home. Neither Love, nor his company, responded to the complaint leading to a default judgment against them in 2023, the court awarding Walker $500,000 plus approximately $43,000 in interest and costs. In June 2024, Walker filed a garnishment against NBCUniversal to recover any residual payments due Love that NBCUniversal held. NBCUniversal failed to respond to the garnishment and a $543,652 default judgment was rendered against it. Then NBCUniversal missed another deadline in failing to seek to modify the judgment within 90 more days. After finally attempting to void the default judgment, which attempt was unsuccessful, on August 26, 2025, NBCUniversal appealed the judgment to the Georgia Supreme Court claiming it was arbitrary to be responsible for the entire judgment as it claimed it had just $652 in residual payments due Love that could be originally garnished.
In February 2025, Love was accused of attacking a female hotel clerk with a credit card machine after she told him she could not give him the room he booked through a third party. In July 2025, a San Diego County California judge said there was enough evidence to move the felony case forward. Love has pleaded not guilty. On June 16, 2026, he was arrested in Tampa, Florida after failing to appear in court in connection to a paternity suit filed against him by Tiffany Lee, the mother of his child. He was held without bond and served 16 days for contempt of court.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1992 Bebe's Kids Robin Harris (voice) 1993 The Meteor Man Husband 1994 Fear of a Black Hat "Jam Boy" 1995 Friday "Big Worm" 1996 Don't Be a Menace Rufus A Thin Line Between Love and Hate Manny 1997 B*A*P*S "Tiger J" Money Talks Cellmate 1998 The Players Club Officer Peters 2000 3 Strikes "Tone" The Replacements Jahmal Abdul Jackson 2001 Inhumanity Unknown Role Video Made Horrace Mr Bones "Fats" Pudbedder 2002 Play'd: A Hip Hop Story "Domino" Breed TV movie Blue Crush Leslie 2003 Wonderland Greg Diles The Fighting Temptations Luther Washington Elf Wanda Ride or Die David Rabinawitz Video 2004 Torque Sonny 2005 The Luau "Hustle" Animal "Double T" Video 2006 Just My Luck Damon Phillips All You've Got Coach Harlan TV movie Idlewild "Sunshine Ace" 2007 Who's Your Caddy? "Big Large" The Perfect Holiday Jamal 2008 Of Boys and Men Roman Days of Wrath "Cash Flow" 2009 A Day in the Life Ike "Black Ike" Smith Steppin: The Movie Unknown Role Couples Retreat Shane 2010 Life as We Know It Cab Driver 2011 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son Kurtis Kool King of the Underground Faizon Zookeeper Bruce The Bear (voice) The Cookout 2 David Turner TV movie Budz House "Big Shitty" 2012 The Wire: The Musical Russell "Stringer" Bell Short The Paperboy Comedian 2013 White T Anthony 2014 Matthew 18 Lifton Tyler Tell Dwight Johnson 2015 November Rule Theo Brotherly Love Uncle Ron 2016 She's Got a Plan Dr. Funkman 2017 Grow House Reg "Rollin Reg" Ripped Reeves 2018 Bad Paramedics Craig Short 2020 Bulletproof 2 Jack Carter She Ball Big Meat Tuna The War with Grandpa David 2021 Fuck Child Support the Animated Movie Mr. Mack Short 2022 Block Party Gus Santa Games Santa Charles 2023 The Sandlerverse 2 Bruce The Bear Short Prince of Detroit Teddy Hall Back on the Strip Desmond "Da Body" Day The Last Stop in Yuma County Vernon
Television Year Title Role Notes 1992 An Evening at the Improv Himself Episode: "Episode #10.14" 1993 Def Comedy Jam Himself Episode: "Episode #3.5" 1995 What a Cartoon! Sledgehammer O' Possum (voice) Episode: "Sledgehammer O'Possum: Out and About" 1995-1998 The Parent 'Hood Wendell Wilcox Recurring cast: Season 1, Main cast: Season 2–4 1996 The Wayans Bros. Nigel Lovejoy Episode: "Mama, I Wanna Act" 2002 Dinner for Five Himself Episode: "Episode #1.7" 2004 The Big House Warren Cleveland Main cast Dinner for Five Himself Episode: "Episode #3.1" That's So Raven Cyrus Episode: "Radio Heads" 2005 Dinner for Five Himself Episode: "Episode #4.6" 2007 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Coach Episode: "The Gang Gets Invincible" 2008 Black Poker Stars Invitational Himself Main guest 2009 My Name Is Earl Reverend Greene Episode: "Gospel" 2013 Big Morning Buzz Live Himself / Panelist Episode: "Maggie Q/Joan & Melissa Rivers/Cast of '21 & Over'" Mr. Box Office "Big" Whane Episode: "There Goes the Neighborhood" 2013-2016 Real Husbands of Hollywood Himself Recurring cast: Season 1 & 4–5, Guest: Season 2 2015-2017 Black-ish Sha Guest cast: Season 2–3 2017 Wild 'N Out Himself / Team Captain Episode: "Faizon Love/2 Milly" Hip Hop Squares Himself / Panelist Recurring Panelist The New Edition Story Maurice Starr Episode: "Part 1" 2018 Detroiters Farmer Zack Episode: "Farmer Zack" 2018-2022 Step Up: High Water Al Baker Main cast 2023 Diners, Drive-ins and Dives Himself Episode: "Smokin' Southern Decadence" The Upshaws Terry Episode: "Thera Please"
Music Videos Year Song Artist Role 1995 "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" Dr. Dre Thief 2003 "Gossip Folks" Missy Elliott featuring Ludacris Teacher 2004 "Roses" Outkast Himself 2005 "We Belong Together" Mariah Carey Minister 2012 "Ring Finger" Lil Playy Father 2016 "Drum Machine" Big Grams featuring Skrillex Bike Cop
Video Game Year Title Role Notes 2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Sean "Sweet" Johnson Voice role 2021 Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition Archival recordingsRemaster of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas only
Documentary Year Title 2009 Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy
See also List of Afro-Latinos
References
External links