Candyman Cast & Character Guide

The legend of Candyman returned with a direct sequel to the original horror movie and even brought back a character who played a major role in that iconic story. Released in 1992, Candyman was a critical success, morphing into a franchise. Over two decades after the third film hit DTV, this follow-up to the first entry, also titled Candyman, arrived. Based on Clive Barker’s short story, the original Candyman followed a Chicago graduate student writing a thesis on urban legends, which led her to the legend of Candyman.

Candyman is the vengeful spirit of an artist and son of slaves who was murdered in the 19th century for his relationship with the daughter of a wealthy white man. The legend says that if someone says his name five times in front of a mirror, he appears and kills them with the hook attached to the bloody stump of his right arm. The 2021 Candyman movie, directed by Nia DaCosta, revisits the legend and deepens its backstory while dealing with new social issues. In the lead is a child from the original Candyman film.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy

Birthdate: July 15, 1986

Character: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Anthony McCoy, a struggling visual artist who becomes obsessed with the story of Candyman and uses it in different art projects to revive his career. However, he has no idea what he will unleash by summoning the Candyman. He also doesn't understand his connection, as Anthony was the young boy that Helen Lyle sacrificed herself to save in the first movie, and his story with the vengeful spirit is far from finished.

Actor: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has become a major Hollywood player despite only starting his career in 2016 and having limited experience. He started off with smaller roles in big-budget movies like Baywatch and The Greatest Showman before catching on with a main villain role in the Aquaman franchise for the DCU. He then worked with Jordan Peele in Us, had a key role in The Trial of the Chicago 7, joined the HBO series Watchmen, and then had major roles in The Matrix Resurrections and Michael Bay's Ambulance.

Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright

Birthdate: September 22, 1987

Character: Teyonah Parris plays Brianna Cartwright, Anthony’s girlfriend and an art gallery director. She and Anthony live together in a new condo complex, and she has worked with Anthony to help promote his new paintings based on the legendary Candyman myth. She is also a very important character, as she is there to help Anthony to the end and finally unleashes the new Candyman in the police officers who murdered her lover in cold blood.

Actor: Teyonah Parris for her first big breaks on television, where she appeared on shows like The Good Wife and Mad Men. However, she enjoyed her breakout success in the indie film Dear White People and then teamed with Spike Lee for his dream, Chi-Raq. She then split time between socially conscious dramas like If Beale Street Could Talk and big-budget spectacle properties, such as her role as Monic Rambeau in the MCU (first in WandaVision and then in The Marvels).

Colman Domingo as William Burke

Birthdate: November 28, 1969

Character: Colman Domingo plays William Burke, a Cabrini Green resident who tells Anthony all he needs to know about the neighborhood, the legend of Candyman, and its dangers. He is primarily a historian in Cabrini Green, and his goal is to maintain the sense of community and prevent the area from falling into gentrification. However, in the end, he becomes a villain thanks to his obsession with keeping the myth of the Candyman alive.

Actor: Colman Domingo has enjoyed a huge breakout later in his life, as he began to receive massive amounts of critical acclaim in his 50s. His early career was in theater, but he enjoyed his breakout when he joined the cast of Fear the Walking Dead in 2015 as Victor Strand. Since that time, he has won a Primetime Emmy Award for his appearance on Euphoria, two Oscar nominations for Rustin and Sing Sing, and appearances in Selma, If Beale Street Could Talk, and The Color Purple.

Michael Hargrove as Sherman Fields/Candyman

Birthdate: August 30, 1965

Character: Michael Hargrove plays Sherman Fields, a one-armed man who was tortured and killed by the police after being falsely accused of planting razor blades in candy, and who has become the new subject of the Candyman legend. His death happened in 1977, meaning he was Candyman before Daniel returned in the first Candyman movie to pass the curse on to Helen. The post-credits for the 2021 Candyman show that Sherman was the third of six Candyman killers.

Actor: Michael Hargrove has a very limited acting career outside of Candyman. His first movie role came in 2008 with Were the World Mine. After that, he appeared in the movies The Express and What Happened to Dorothy Bell. He also appeared in three One Chicago shows as three different characters (Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med). He also appeared in one episode of Justified: City Primeval as Jackson Lee.

Candyman Supporting Cast & Characters

Tony Todd as Daniel Robitaille/Candyman: Tony Todd is the original Candyman from the first movie. Aside from the Candyman movies, Tony Todd appeared in Night of the Living Dead, Final Destination, and the TV series Chuck, The Young and the Restless, and Scream. He passed away in 2024, and his last film appearance is posthumously in Final Destination Bloodlines.

Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Troy Cartwright: Troy is Brianna’s brother in the 2021 Candyman cast. Nathan Stewart-Jarrett played Curtis Donovan in Misfits, Barrett Hopper in Famous in Love, and Johnny Edgecombe in The Trial of Christine Keeler. Since Candyman, he has appeared in the movies Femme and Azrael and the TV shows Generation and Black Doves.

Vanessa Estelle Williams as Anne-Marie McCoy: Anne-Marie is Anthony’s mother, who shared her fear of Candyman with Helen Lyle years ago. It is Anne-Marie who reveals the truth to Anthony here, and leads him to his destination of becoming the new Candyman in the end. Vanessa Estelle Williams’ acting credits include Melrose Place, Murder One, Soul Food, Famous in Love, and American Horror Stories.

Rebecca Spence as Finley Stephens: Finley Stephens plays an art critic in Candyman, playing a strong role in Anthony's story as he uses the Candyman mythos to create his works. Rebecca Spence played Doris Rogers in Public Enemies and Cheryl in Slice. She also has several TV show roles in series like Chicago Fire, Prison Break, Easy, and Utopia.