Tony Todd first played the title character in the 1992 film Candyman.
Todd portrays Daniel Robitaille, a legendary figure who becomes known as Candyman. In the film’s backstory, Robitaille was a nineteenth-century Black artist who was murdered after being accused of an interracial relationship. His ghost is later summoned through a repeated mirror ritual.
Candyman was directed by Bernard Rose and adapted from Clive Barker’s short story “The Forbidden.” The film relocates the story from England to Chicago, particularly the Cabrini-Green housing project, giving the legend a strong connection to urban history, memory, and social inequality.
Tony Todd returned as Candyman in several later films, including Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh and Candyman: Day of the Dead. He also appeared in the 2021 legacy sequel, which continues the mythology while introducing new characters.