Black Lightning’s Krondon Has Albinism — How It Shapes His Look Onscreen and Off
Chatting in a new interview, Black Lightning star Marvin ‘Krondon’ Jones III detailed living with a rare genetic condition — and the day-to-day challenges it throws his way.
Speaking candidly about how he moves through the world, Marvin “Krondon” Jones III says growing up in a Black family in South Central Los Angeles while living with albinism gave him a perspective he wouldn’t trade. He’s often the only person in the room who looks like him, and he’s learned to treat that difference as power, not a limitation.
“I live in the black experience, but at the same time I understand the invalid idea that color decides who a man is. … Another thing is, any room I walk in, 99.9 percent of the time, no one else looks like me. I’m a completely unique individual, able to create my own attention and attraction,” he told Andscape.
Jones talks openly about albinism—an uncommon genetic condition that affects roughly 1 in 20,000 people in the U.S.—and says it pushed him to fully embrace his individuality. He also keeps a message ready for anyone who shares the condition and might be looking for a boost.
“You are an angel from God. It is not a coincidence that you are unique. Your beauty comes once in 30,000 … and there is nothing that you can’t do, except sit in the sun,” he said.
TV fans know Jones best as crime boss Tobias Whale on Black Lightning, but he first made noise in music as frontman of West Coast rap crew Strong Arm Steady. He’s since carved out steady work in Hollywood, including stints on Marvel projects.
Finding Tobias Whale
Jones says he didn’t even know there was a DC villain with albinism until he got the call about Tobias Whale. The pitch surprised him: an African American character with albinism already existed in the DC Universe, and producers thought he should audition.
Even with the visual match, Jones never assumed the part was his. He figured he looked the role, sure, but he still had to earn it in the room. When the offer finally came, he was told the job would change his life—and the character has indeed become a defining chapter of his acting career.