London Brown Dishes on Loss & Raising Kanan’s Final Season
London Brown Dishes on Personal Loss, Legacy & Raising Kanan’s Final Season
- Marvin's character seeks vengeance in the final season, providing emotional payoff for viewers.
- Brown balances acting with stand-up comedy, podcasting, and mentoring students to access higher education.
- Brown's personal experiences with grief have made him more empathetic, and he aims to be a supportive listener for others.
Fans know him as Marvin Thomas, the volatile fan favorite from Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Others remember him as Reggie from Ballers. Comedian, actor, impressionist, podcaster, and proud advocate for Black youth, London Brown wears plenty of hats, though he’d probably tell you he’s just trying to stay employed.
With the fifth and final season of Raising Kanan arriving June 12, Brown chopped it up with Radio/TV personality Jazmyn Summers for Radio One about Marvin’s emotional reckoning, vengeance, stand-up comedy, his viral Instagram bio, relationships, and the surprisingly wholesome reason he’ll never forget working with Dwayne Johnson.
Jaz: Everybody’s counting down to the final season of Raising Kanan. What should fans expect?
London Brown: “Lots of plot twists because our writers are really, really good for that sort of thing. More cameos. I think a lot of questions that people have had throughout the seasons, we finally get to come around to answering them.”
He says Season 5 is packed with “emotionally driven heartfelt scenes” and promises viewers will finally understand the roots of many of the Thomas family conflicts.
” People are going to really be excited. They’re going to understand why and how all these characters have come to be. What was the root? The Thomas family issues go way back to our parents when our father committed suicide. They finally are going to get addressed in season five.”
I think this season is a really good popcorn movie night. It’s going to be good, man.”
Jaz: Marvin has been through therapy, betrayal, family drama and plenty of chaos. Where do we find him this season?
London Brown: “Marvin is getting to a place where he has been fed up throughout the seasons.”
Brown says Marvin genuinely tried to become a better man after entering therapy, but being crossed changed everything.
“People can expect to see another side of Marvin that they haven’t seen before.”
That doesn’t necessarily mean more jokes.
Instead, Brown says audiences will finally understand what’s been driving Marvin all these years.
“People are going to feel compelled and they’re going to understand why Marvin has been moving the way he’s been moving.”
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Jaz: So… should viewers prepare for vengeance?
Absolutely.
“I think the audience is going to enjoy riding along with Marvin as he seeks vengeance.”
And if fans have been frustrated by Kanan’s attitude?
Marvin has heard you.
“We’ve seen Kanan be a little disrespectful to his mom and other people. I know the fans have been saying somebody need to give him a belt. So don’t worry about that. We’re going to answer those questions.”
When asked who’s handing out the belt, Brown didn’t hesitate:
“I think Marvin’s going to be giving the belt to anybody and everybody who’s been crossing him.”
Jaz: Do cast members know all the big surprises and cameos before fans do?
Not necessarily.
“I haven’t watched the show and we shoot out of order.”
Brown explained that filming, editing, deleted scenes and separate storylines mean he often discovers developments alongside the audience.
“There’s some things in the show that I find out from the fans of the show because they tell me.”
His reaction?
“I’m eating my popcorn talking to them.”
Jaz: Fans voted Marvin the funniest character on the show. Does that surprise you?
A little.
“Marvin is not the comic relief.”
Brown says the humor comes from Marvin simply being himself.
“Whatever humorous ideas that the audience feels about Marvin, it’s just Marvin being Marvin. He’s not trying to be funny. He’s just living in his truth.”
And yes, Marvin’s love of food may not be entirely fictional.
“If the food is good, I’ll enjoy it.”
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Jaz: One of your Instagram posts had people talking. You joked that you’re Cuban, Indian, Chinese, Cambodian and half Black… before admitting you were “100% capping.”
Brown says it was satire.
“Sometimes people want to represent everything but black.”
While stressing he wasn’t talking about everyone, he explained that the joke was his way of highlighting how some people embrace every possible identity except the one most visible to the world.
“My thing is people call themselves everything else, all the other flags, everything else is up. I’m like, ‘You’re black. Where are you going to represent that?'”
His conclusion is simple:
“I just appreciate being black.”
And ultimately:
“If we have anything in this society, at the end of the day, you might as well love yourself. We can’t depend on anybody else to do this. So love yourself, whatever that is, be you.”
Jaz: Beyond acting, what’s keeping you busy?
Quite a lot.
When he’s not filming or performing stand-up, Brown co-hosts Killin It Pod alongside fellow comedians Justin Hires and BT Kingsley.
The podcast focuses on successful entertainers and creators, but with a twist.
“We don’t always hear about the nos. We don’t always hear about how they got it going.”
Brown wants listeners to understand the struggle behind the success.
“People see Reggie and Kanan, but I’ve done lots of free church plays and unpaid gigs, lots of classes and lots of classes in theater. So, it’s always a grind.”
Jaz: You’re also deeply involved in helping young people.
Brown lights up when discussing the work he’s doing with the National College Resources Foundation.
Alongside artists including Yo-Yo, Kel Mitchell and Da’Vinchi, Brown serves as an ambassador helping students access higher education and HBCU opportunities.
“We just try to go around and make sure we help, have fun, give scholarships and inspire the young people.”
For Brown, success means more than career achievements.
“I’m trying to help the young people and stand up and try to keep it active.”
Jaz: The question your female fans really want answered: Are you single?
Brown laughed immediately.
“What guy you know in 2026 is walking around with nobody?”
Translation?
“I’m off. I’m not in these streets.”
Sorry, ladies.
As Brown joked, “Marvin will like you. London Brown, I’m good.”
Jaz: What’s your biggest relationship pet peeve?
Drama.
More specifically, oversharing.
“When you start inviting outside people into this situation, now some of your own girlfriends get mad and jealous and try to set up things and it gets messy.”
Brown describes himself as “a very private person” and prefers relationships to stay that way.
“I’m not into drama at all.”
Jaz: What’s a bad habit you’re still working on?
“Not taking compliments.”
Brown admits he’s gotten better, but says accepting praise remains a challenge.
“So I’m working on it.”
Jaz: You’ve worked with Dwayne Johnson. Give us your favorite Rock story.
Brown shared two.
The first is heartfelt.
After Brown lost his brother in 2015, Johnson reached out personally and sent flowers to his family.
“As busy as he is, I appreciate that gesture of him just acknowledging my issue for my family.”
The second story?
Classic comedy.
“Dwayne is so cool. He don’t like to close his eyes when he sneeze.”
Brown insists he witnessed it.
“I’m like, ‘Dwayne, close your eyes.'”
His verdict:
“He almost fainted but he’s so cool. He don’t close his eyes when he sneezes.”
Jaz: You’ve spoken openly about losing your brother. How has that experience shaped you?
Brown says the loss changed him profoundly.
“I became really empathetic to people.”
Today, he shares that journey during college appearances and community events.
“I don’t understand their pain, but I understand what pain feels like.”
His goal isn’t to have all the answers.
Sometimes people simply need someone willing to listen.
“Sometimes you just need to vent.”
And whenever possible, Brown says he tries to be that person.
Final Take
As Raising Kanan heads toward its final chapter, London Brown promises answers, emotional payoff, and a Marvin Thomas unlike any version viewers have seen before. Off-screen, he’s balancing stand-up, podcasting, mentoring students, and using his own experiences with grief and perseverance to encourage others.
In other words, Marvin may be seeking vengeance, but London Brown is focused on something bigger: growth, purpose, and making sure the next generation has a shot at writing its own story.
Article by Jazmyn Summers. Photos and video by 7Spontaneous of The Revenue Entertainment You can hear Jazmyn every morning on “Jazmyn in the Morning “on Sirius XM Channel 362 Grown Folk Jamz. Subscribe to Jazmyn Summers’ YouTube. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
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