Terrence "T.C." Carson (born November 19, 1958) is an American actor, voice artist, and singer, known for his performances across television, film, stage, and video games. He is best known for portraying Kyle Barker on the FOX sitcom, Living Single, and is the original voice of Kratos in the God of War video game series, playing the role from 2005 to 2013. Additionally, Carson lent his voice to Mace Windu in various Star Wars media, including Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Carson was the only child of his mother, who brought him up in the LeClaire Courts projects of the Chicago Housing Authority. [1] He credits his mother, who was a seamstress and a nurse's aid, with instilling in him a love of the arts. He pursued higher education at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign majoring in architecture and interior design, and in 1981 became a member of the Iota Phi Theta fraternity. [2]
Carson's artistic journey began on stage, where he showcased his talents in numerous plays and musicals. His performances include roles in The Wiz, Dreamgirls, and Ain't Misbehavin'. He also toured nationally with productions such as Sesame Street Live.
Carson is best known for his role as Kyle Barker on the hit sitcom Living Single, which aired from 1993 to 1998. His portrayal of the suave stockbroker earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base. Years later, he would characterize his departure as a firing.[3] He also appeared in other television series, including Greenleaf, where he had a recurring role, and guest appearances on shows like Black Lightning and Nashville.
In addition to his on-screen roles, Carson has an extensive voice acting portfolio. His most prominent voice role is that of Kratos in the God of War video game series, a character he portrayed from 2005 until 2013, providing both voice and motion capture performances. His first voicing of Kratos was for the original God of War for the PlayStation 2 and his final voicing of the character was in God of War: Ascension for the PlayStation 3, in which he also did the motion capture. Christopher Judge began to voice Kratos in God of War for the PlayStation 4.[4] Carson also provided Kratos's voice where Kratos was a downloadable character in Everybody's Golf 5 and a guest character in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny, Mortal Kombat (PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita versions, 2011 and 2012, respectively) and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
Carson voiced Mace Windu in the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars; he reprised his role as Mace Windu in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series. He portrayed Route 23 survivor and school teacher Eugene Dix in Final Destination 2. He has provided the male voice of Guillo in the GameCube RPG Baten Kaitos Origins and is the voice of Touchstone in the PlayStation Portable shooter Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror. Carson provided the voices of Samuel and Mr. Carson in the PBS Kids animated series Clifford the Big Red Dog.
Carson's filmography includes roles in movies such as Livin' Large! (1991), U-571 (2000), and Final Destination 2 (2003), where he played Eugene Dix, a schoolteacher and one of the survivors. Carson portrayed Marcus Elkins in the A Wesley Christmas film series, beginning with A Wesley Christmas (2022), A Wesley Christmas Wedding (2023), and A Wesley South African Christmas (2024). He earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for his role. In 2024, Carson made his directorial debut with The Love Doctor, a feature film written by David L. Rowell and Anthony Guilianti.
As a vocalist, Carson has released a few albums and singles showcasing his jazz and funk influences. His discography includes:
Carson's performance of My Funny Valentine on Living Single remains a fan-favorite moment from the series, showcasing his rich, velvety baritone and jazz-influenced vocal style. As his character, Kyle Barker, serenades Maxine Shaw (Erika Alexander) with the classic ballad, the scene captures the depth of their complex romance, blending passion, vulnerability, and undeniable chemistry.
Throughout his career, Carson has received several accolades:
In 2017, Carson was featured on the cover of STS Entertainment & Fashion magazine.[5]