Jason Franklin is a menace on ‘Tyler Perry’s The Oval,’ which says a lot because the show is full of antisocial villainous behavior. As bad as some characters get, few have been as bad as Jason. He might look like the baby-faced teen son of the president, but he might as well have on a Mike Myers mask. However, in real life, Daniel Croix, the actor who plays Jason Franklin, isn’t remotely close to anything like his on-screen persona. Get to know him better by checking out these five quick facts. 

Grew up in Buffalo, New York 

He grew up with his mom, father and older sister on the Westside of Buffalo, New York. His family wasn’t rich, but one constant thing he had was creativity. His dad played the bass and his mom was in social work, and he was exposed to storytelling, art and poetry at a young age. 

Has Multi-Ethnic Heritage

According to his bio, his roots stem from Nigeria, Scotland, Ghana, Senegal, Angola, Mali, England and Ireland. 

Got the Acting Bug at 10

He got hooked on theater after his grandmother took him to see ‘The Lion King.’ From there, she saw his enthusiasm and enrolled him in a performing arts school. 

Got His Chops in Theater First

Croix studied at SUNY Purchase and debuted at the Delacorte Public Theater in ‘Much Ado About Nothing.’ He eventually got scouted for TV and Film via his work in theater. 

Passionate about Telling BIPOC Stories

In 2023, he founded Ringshout Productions and the Lorna Hill Artist Fellowship. The latter is a mentorship program for BlPOC artists just starting out. Croix is passionate about telling the stories of BIPOC and helping underrepresented communities advance their careers. He recently directed his first film, ‘Huli,’ about a cross-cultural friendship between a newcomer to Hawaii and a native Hawaiian boxing coach.