Age: 67
male
Clarence John "Clancy" Brown III (born January 5, 1959) is an American actor. Prolific in film and television since the 1980s, Brown is often cast in villainous and authoritative roles. His film roles include Rawhide in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984), the Kurgan in Highlander (1986), Sheriff Gus Gilbert in Pet Sematary Two (1992), Capt. Byron Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Sgt. Charles Zim in Starship Troopers (1997), Surtur in Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Stanley Thomas in Promising Young Woman (2020), and the Harbinger in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). On television, he has played Brother Justin Crowe on the HBO series Carnivàle (2003–2005), Waylon "Jock" Jeffcoat on the Showtime series Billions (2018–2019, 2023), Kurt Caldwell on the Showtime series Dexter: New Blood (2021–2022), and Sal Maroni in The Penguin (2024). In animation, Brown has voiced Lex Luthor in the DC Animated Universe (1996–2006) and Mr. Krabs on SpongeBob SquarePants (1999–present). His other animated roles include Long Feng in Avatar: The Last Airbender (2006) and Savage Opress in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2011–2013). He has also voiced video game characters such as Doctor Neo Cortex and Uka Uka in the Crash Bandicoot franchise (1997–2003) and Hank Anderson in Detroit: Become Human (2018). Clarence J. Brown III was born on January 5, 1959, in Urbana, Ohio, and had an older sister, Beth, who died in 1964. Their mother, Joyce Helen (née Eldridge), was a conductor, composer and concert pianist. The siblings' father, Clarence J. "Bud" Brown Jr., was a newspaper publisher who helped manage the Brown Publishing Company, the family-owned newspaper business started by Clancy's grandfather, Congressman Clarence J. Brown. From 1965 to 1983, Bud Brown also served as a congressman, in the same seat as his own father, and later as Chairman of the Board of Brown Publishing. The family continued to operate the business until 2010. Brown graduated from St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., and Northwestern University. At St. Albans, Brown performed the role of Deputy Governor Thomas Danforth in The Crucible.
Long ago, the Fourth World was ruled by the Old Gods. Their wicked ways of war, famine, lust, and mischief prevailed until a being of pure anti-life created a cataclysmic event that destroyed everything except for two twin planets, which would come to be home to the New Gods. New Genesis, lead by Highfather, and Apokolips, ruled by Darkseid, were locked in a never-ending war for supremacy over the Fourth World. This was until Darkseid’s uncle, Steppenwolf, murdered Highfather’s wife, and in turn, Highfather killed Steppenwolf. The two leaders came to a peace deal in which they would trade their infant sons, decreeing that as long as the boys remained on their new planets, there would be peace between New Genesis and Apokolips. Darkseid’s son, Orion, grew to be New Genesis’ greatest warrior, known as “The Dog of War.” The primordial source of creation, known only as The Source, foretells a prophecy that states “Apokolips will be freed and war will cease when the rightful heir takes his place.” This leads Metron, New Genesis’ chief scientist, to tell Orion the truth, that he is actually an Apokoliptian and the son of Darkseid. Meanwhile, Highfather’s son has escaped Apokolips, leading to the peace deal between the planets to no longer be in effect. Kalibak, Darkseid’s other son, hears of the prophecy and believes he is destined to kill both Darkseid and Orion and lead Apokolips to defeat New Genesis. Orion must now discover his true identity while protecting his planet against the wrath of Kalibak.
