Isiah Whitlock Jr., celebrated for his roles in The Wire and numerous Spike Lee films, has passed away at 71.
The news of Whitlock Jr.’s passing was confirmed by his manager, Brian Liebman, who shared the announcement on Instagram.
Liebman expressed: “It is with tremendous sadness that I share the passing of my dear friend and client Isiah Whitlock Jr. If you knew him — you loved him.”
In his tribute, Liebman described Whitlock Jr. as a ‘brilliant actor and even better person’.
“May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be very, very missed,” he concluded.
Speaking to Deadline, Liebman elaborated on Whitlock Jr.’s death, stating that the actor died peacefully in New York after a brief illness.
Liebman remarked to the publication, “He was loved by all who had the pleasure to work with or know him. He will be greatly missed.”
Before embarking on his acting career, Whitlock Jr. was born in South Bend, Indiana. He attended college and later joined San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater, marking the beginning of his journey into acting.
His first significant screen role came in 1987 with a guest spot on the CBS series Cagney & Lacey.
Throughout his nearly four-decade career, Whitlock Jr. featured in series such as Law & Order, Veep, Your Honor, and most recently, Netflix’s The Residence. He is perhaps best known for his recurring role in all five seasons of The Wire as State Senator R. Clayton ‘Clay’ Davis.
Whitlock Jr. also made his mark in films such as The Old Man & the Gun, Lightyear, and Cocaine Bear. His collaborations with Spike Lee include appearances in films like 25th Hour (2002), She Hate Me (2004), Red Hook Summer (2012), Chi-Raq (2015), BlacKkKlansman (2018), and Da 5 Bloods (2020).
During his first collaboration with Lee, Whitlock Jr. introduced a distinctive pronunciation of ‘sheeeeeit’ in place of ‘sh**’, a signature that became part of his character in The Wire.
Spike Lee honored Whitlock Jr. on Instagram, sharing a photo of them together and writing: “Today I Learned Of The Passing Of My Dear Beloved Brother ISIAH WHITLOCK. GOD BLESS.”
Fans have also commemorated the actor for his contributions to iconic projects, with one noting: “RIP to Isiah Whitlock Jr. Just an amazing character actor who is in one of my favorite movies of all-time, 25th Hour and my favorite show of all time, The Wire.”