Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr., best known for his role in HBO’s 2000s crime drama “The Wire,” has died, his manager said Tuesday. He was 71 years old.
“It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of our dear friend and customer Isiah Whitlock Jr.,” the manager said in a statement. “If you knew him – you loved him.”
There were no details regarding the cause of death.
Whitlock’s admitted appearance on “The Wire” came with a side of corruption. He played Maryland state senator Clay Davis from 2002 to 2008 in the acclaimed crime drama created by journalist David Simon.
Whitlock’s character was known for his trademark expression, a profanity that prompted the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum to release a 20th Anniversary Edition of the Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Talking Bobblehead in 2022 on the 20th anniversary of the catchphrase’s debut on “The Wire.”
In a 2010 interview blackfilmWhitlock was asked if he was satisfied with how history has viewed “The Wire” as outstanding television despite its lack of Hollywood awards.
“Would it have been nice to be recognized by your peers at that time…?” He said. “I’m not going to sit here and lie to you, but what I will say is that at the end of the day the most important thing is that you’re doing the best job that you can. And at the end of the day you know that you were a part of something good and I think history will show, given how little history there has been since ‘The Wire,’ that people have realized that it really was one of the great shows of all time. That makes me feel great and very proud. That’s one of the things.” Part.”
Show creator Simon posted a caption-less photo of Whitlock on Tuesday on bluesky,
Whitlock’s Biography on his website Given that he also played characters in a variety of fields on stage and screen for the remainder of his career.
He was Joe in Christopher Shinn’s play “Four”, for which he was nominated for the prestigious Off-Broadway accolade, the Lucille Lortel Award in the Outstanding Featured Actor category, as stated in his biography.
Whitlock was also seen as a sympathetic doctor in Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas”, in several guest roles on “Law & Order”, as well as in Spike Lee’s “25th Hour”, Peter Hedges’ film “Pieces of April” and Miguel Arteta’s “Cedar Rapids”.
Lee relied on Whitlock’s artistry for many of his films, including “The Five Bloods”, in which he played a Vietnam veteran; “BlacKkKlansman”, in which he played a police officer. He also appeared in “Red Hook Summer,” “Chi-Raq,” and “She Hate Me,” which featured Whitlock in minor roles.
Lee paid tribute to Whitlock on Tuesday on InstagramHe said, “Today I learned of the passing of my beloved brother Isiah Whitlock. God bless.”
Whitlock was born in South Bend, Indiana, one of 11 children, his bio states, and learned to live “without a lot of comforts.”
According to his website, he attended Southwest Minnesota State University on a football scholarship, but when injuries sidelined his athletic dreams, he turned to the school’s drama department.
The actor has stated that he was establishing the Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Fine Arts Theater Endowment to give back to the state of southwest Minnesota and provide scholarships to aspiring artists.
His manager on Tuesday described him as “a brilliant actor and an even better human being. His memory will always be a blessing. Our hearts are very broken. He will be very, very missed.”
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