Overview

Anthony Tiran Todd (born December 4, 1954) is an American stage, screen and voice actor who has also worked as a producer. He is widely recognized for his commanding presence and deep baritone voice. Todd’s career spans theatre training, film and television roles, genre work in horror and science fiction, and steady voice acting in animation and games.

Early training and career development

Todd trained in theatre and began his career on stage before moving into film and television. His early screen work led to a breakthrough supporting role in the Oliver Stone film Platoon, after which he established himself as a versatile character actor able to anchor both literary drama and popular genre pieces.

Notable roles and highlights

Across more than four decades, Todd has taken a mix of leading and supporting roles. He is best known to mainstream audiences as the title figure in the horror film Candyman (1992) and its sequels, which have become central entries in 1990s horror. On television he played the Klingon Kurn in entries of Star Trek and has a long list of guest and recurring parts.

  • Platoon — supporting role in the 1986 film (Platoon).
  • Candyman — lead portrayal that defined his horror-icon status (Candyman).
  • Candyman trilogy — continued appearances across the series (Candyman trilogy).
  • Star Trek — recurring Klingon character Kurn on television.

Acting style and mediums

Todd’s stage background and resonant voice have made him a natural for roles that require gravitas and an imposing screen presence. Those qualities have led to frequent casting in authoritative, villainous or supernatural roles. Beyond film and TV, he has a substantial body of work as a voice actor and has appeared in audio productions, animated series and video games.

Legacy and continuing work

As an actor and occasional producer, Tony Todd is regarded as a durable character performer whose work crosses mainstream drama, science fiction and horror. His portrayal of the Candyman character helped cement that figure as a culturally recognizable horror antagonist and broadened representation of Black actors in leading horror roles. For a full view of his credits and recent projects see his comprehensive profiles and filmographies (full filmography).