David Jonsson, a British actor from east London, has been cast as the son of T’Challa, the late Chadwick Boseman’s character, in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Black Panther 3. This marks a significant step in Jonsson’s career, as the Black Panther franchise continues to carry cultural resonance as a symbol of Black excellence and groundbreaking representation since its debut in 2018.
Jonsson, 32, grew up in the Custom House area of Newham, east London. He is the youngest of four siblings, with a background that spans Creole heritage—including roots in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Caribbean, and Sweden. His father was an IT engineer at Heathrow Airport, and his mother worked for the Metropolitan Police. Jonsson’s early years were marked by personal challenges, including his parents’ separation at age 11 and struggles at school that ultimately led to his expulsion following a fight.
Despite these obstacles, Jonsson expressed an early ambition to act while attending a new school in Hammersmith, west London, where he began performing in plays. At 16, he earned a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. After two years in the United States, he returned to the UK, joining the National Youth Theatre and later enrolling at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He left RADA early to appear in a West End revival of Mary Stuart alongside Juliet Stevenson, and his 2021 performance in the Almeida Theatre production And Breathe… won him a Black British Theatre Award.
Jonsson’s television career advanced with roles in the ITV detective series Endeavour and the espionage thriller Deep State. His breakout TV role came as Gus Sackey in the critically acclaimed BBC/HBO banking drama Industry, which depicted the high-pressure lives of graduates navigating London’s investment banking sector. To prepare, Jonsson immersed himself in environments far different from his upbringing. He departed the series in 2022, emphasizing his desire to explore diverse creative opportunities.
His film career has developed swiftly over recent years. Jonsson landed his first lead role in Raine Allen-Miller’s 2023 romantic comedy Rye Lane, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival and garnered him a British Independent Film Award nomination. Subsequently, he became the first Black lead in a television adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy for the BBC. Additional credits include the 2024 sci-fi horror film Alien: Romulus—earning him a BAFTA Rising Star Award—the Stephen King adaptation The Long Walk, and the British prison drama Wasteman, which earned him a second BIFA nomination.
Jonsson has spoken openly about the significance of his roles in the context of racial representation. He has noted that regardless of the character, his identity as a Black man is a central element of his work. His casting in Black Panther 3 reinforces this commitment, as the franchise continues to influence the portrayal of Black culture and identity on the global stage.