We’d never really thought of albinos as a group targeted for oppression and violence – the albino we pay closest attention to, rapper Brother Ali, seems pretty empowered – but a New York Times article yesterday highlighted an emerging practice in Tanzania of killing albinos for their body parts. A recent cycle of myths and rumors seems to have generated a black market in East Africa for albino hair, skin, bones, blood and even corpses. Obviously this is all kinds of messed up, and a perfect occasion to chronicle the vast contributions of these 8 Famous Albinos.

The Albino from The Princess Bride

The Twins from The Matrix

Comedian Victor Varnado

Tombstone from Spider-Man

The terrifyingly awesome Judge Holden character in Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian

Powder (Sean Patrick Flannery) in Powder

Dr. Griffin in H.G. Welles’s The Invisible Man is an albino before becoming invisible.

Chinese model Connie Chiu