By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
London Brown knows that Power Book III: Raising Kanan fans feel passionately about the Starz drama and his performance as Marvin. He’s also hoping they’ll ease up on haranguing him on Twitter and on the street.
Yes, Marvin has crashed not one but two Mercedes-Benzes while his enemies opened fire. But the Ballers vet argues his character’s vehicular collisions are all a part of his gangster process.
“People want to talk about him wrecking cars,” Brown passionately tells TVLine. “But Marvin does what he has to do by any means necessary. Sometimes that means wrecking Benzes and driving head-first while people are shooting firearms. If it means he can save his nephew from being shot and killed or his brother from burning up in a house fire, he’s going to go for it. Marvin is ride or die to a fault.”
Although fans view Marvin as the show’s comedic foil, Brown says the laughter is an afterthought.
“Marvin wasn’t written to be the comic relief, even though he can be,” Brown shares. “He wasn’t thinking about the blue caps and Kanan not mixing the batch the right way just like he wasn’t thinking about wrecking two cars. That’s what people don’t understand: all of the layers.”
It’s the complicated aspects of Marvin that make him so enjoyable to play, the actor adds.
“People talking about his car insurance is going to be sky high,” Brown groans. “Marvin probably doesn’t even have real paperwork on those cars. Do you think as fly as he is, he’s going to the DMV? He pays the Dominican car dealers in cash and handles his business. He’s not walking anywhere or catching the bus or the subway. That’s what they’ve got to understand.”
Comprehending Marvin’s driving missteps is one thing. But his shortcomings as a father and his choice to use violence even shocked his portrayer during this week’s installment, titled “Loyal to the End.” That’s because Marvin not only failed to embrace his daughter Jukebox’s sexuality, but he physically attacked her.
“That was the hardest thing to shoot, and I know [costar] Hailey [Kilgore] would say the same,” Brown recalls. “It was very difficult. We had tons of questions. I didn’t know how to approach it. Hailey and I even talked about it after the fact. I just needed it to make sense. Why would Marvin get physical with a daughter he’s barely around? I talked to my LGBTQ friends, and they said violent reactions from strict parents are common. We also had to meet with the stunt coordinators to work out the physicality of it.”
Brown also took into consideration the time in which the story takes place, he says.
“You also have to remember this was the ’90s,” Brown explains. “Parents in 2021 are more liberal and accepting, but Marvin is old school. He didn’t even use the right term. He said ‘Lebanese’ instead of ‘lesbian.’ But the violence even shocked and scared Marvin. He snapped and lost it and then felt ashamed and sad, but it was too late. Those are the layers that make Marvin and the other characters very real.”
Marvin is loyal to his family, but he also has the capacity to hurt them. He raised Raq and Lou-Lou when their own parents struggled with drug addiction, but he has a hard time raising and getting to know Jukebox.
“As much as Marvin is trying to do right by his sister and brother, he has another side to him,” he says. “That’s why I had to play Marvin lighter at the top of the season because I knew he was going to go somewhere dark.”
The hasty actions of Jukebox’s father also shape who she will ultimately become.
“Now people can better appreciate why Jukebox became so tough as an adult because of the things she had to deal with growing up,” Brown concludes. “Her girlfriend died, and she had a strained relationship with her father. All of these layers help us understand why these characters turned out the way they did.”
I was unsure of this show at the start but it’s easily the best thing Power has done in like five years. I mean these last few episodes have been like, first two seasons of Power good. And I hope people aren’t so dumb as to hassle him over something the character he plays does. I mean, really?
Totally agree. But nowadays Matt? I just don’t know. Id like to believe they won’t. But the way people can hide behind these phones and computers. They probably will
Loved Mr. Brown in Ballers as Reggie. Glad to see him in a darker , serious character. Raq doesn’t give him enough credit. He’s a rider for sure.
I didn’t expect Marvin to act any different. Juke was always afraid that he would find out that she was gay. In his world, I honestly would not have expected a different reaction. Sad, but true.
I didn’t expect Marvin to act any different either. You can see it coming to that as the episodes went on. I have a different understanding than the other people, because according to what I saw, Juke Box attacked her father first and he warned her to stop as he was defending himself! She went off when he smashed the video. As far as I’m concerned, I would Never, Ever accept any family member of Mine being a homosexual, lesbian, or transgender! THE ALMIGHTY GOD WHO IS ONE AND WITHOUT ANY PARTNERS HAS NEVER, EVER ACCEPTED IT! That’s Facts!!!
That is some powerful stuff going on in that episode. London is correct about the time period. Things and parents were completely different in those days. I have a 13 yr old Juke or in my specific case a Nicole. And i would NEVER act like that. I love her and support her no matter what she chooses in her personal or professional lives. But in this instance on this show. London and Hailey did a amazing job with their parts. It sadly felt so real. They sold it 100% accurate and genuine. And that is one of the hardest scenes either will film on this series. Id imagine. Great job all the way around. The actors, writers and director have made season a major success. Ida shouted out Curtis but i gotta admit his diss of Michael K. Williams was a disgrace. F you Fiddy!!
In total agreement with your post. Especially the last few lines.
Well my parents fought me when I came out and no girlfriend died, however, I grow up to be a gangster…
I do love Power… Keep up the good work
I meant I didn’t grow up to be a gangster
Sorry you had that experience. One of my children went through a curious phase & thought I wouldn’t understand because of comments I made in ignorance while watching TV. I was hurt that she didn’t know how much I really loved her & felt that that was no body business as long as you aren’t hurting or damaging other people. We made it through.
Wow, I hate to hear that. I’m a fifties child and I often wonder, “if” one of my children were to come to us and say they’re gay, how would I react. 🤔 I would like to say, I would be ok, I honestly hope I would, but I just don’t know. The one thing I am sure of, I wouldn’t be mad, or want to beat them up or put them out. I would want to attempt to understand why!!! My husband on the other hand……
This is the most boring and poorly written disaster since The Shannara Chronicles.
Both characters are very talented. It was gut wrenching to watch. Glad it wasn’t real in this instance. Our understanding & acceptance has really come a long way even though we still have a ways to go.
I, Don’t truly believe that men comes to terms with a woman’s love for another. But they grapple and grapple and finally lash out unhealthily. Not making the decision to appreciate the differences they themselves created, causes their inability to accept.