WandaVision’s Breakout Star

One of the most popular television shows on Disney+ has a new star named David Payton, and the world is starting to take notice. WandaVision was critically acclaimed for its small-screen continuation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe story, occurring just after the finale of 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. The show features Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, reprising their beloved roles as star-crossed superheroes Wanda Maximoff and Vision, in a sitcom-style setup that places Wanda and Vision in the small suburban town of Westview, New Jersey. And Payton is among their new neighbors, playing the recurring role of Herb.

Payton previously scored roles on other television series, including Chicago P.D. on NBC and David Makes Man on OWN.

Even after getting his big break on WandaVision, Payton still considers himself a small-town Florida kid.

“I’m just a Tangelo Park kid,” Payton told the Click. “My mom was living off of Mercy Drive, Paramore, some of the tougher neighborhoods in the Metro Orlando area. Destiny brought me to Tampa and that’s where my acting career is on the uprise.”

Payton is living his dream now, and hoping to inspire African American kids to reach for the stars.

“I have a lot of dream roles,” said Payton. “But my most important [role] would be one that will inspire someone else. Whatever that role is, however I do it, as long as it inspires a young Black kid or any kid with what to do in life. At the end of the day, I feel like it’s never about you with acting—it’s always about the story. So why not be an inspiration?”

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