‘The Wire’ actor Isiah Whitlock Jr dead at 71
Isiah Whitlock Jr, the Spike Lee collaborator and The Wire actor, has passed away at the age of 71.
Whitlock’s manager broke the tragic news, writing on social media: “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. A brilliant actor and even better person.”
Whitlock died in hospital after a short illness. No specific cause of death has been confirmed.
The actor, who passed away in New York, was born in South Bend, Indiana. He began his acting career after graduating from college, when he joined San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater.
His first notable screen appearance was on the CBS show Cagney and Lacey in 1987; from there, he worked consistently for almost four decades in television, appearing on the likes of Law and Order, Special Victims Unit, and Criminal Intent.
This eventually led him to his most well-known role as the corrupt State Senator R Clayton ‘Clay’ Davis on the HBO show The Wire. Whitlock appeared on all five seasons of the David Simon crime show.
Whitlock also appeared on another HBO show, the political comedy Veep, as Secretary of Defense Gen. His last TV appearance was on Netflix’s murder mystery The Residence.
Outside of television, Whitlock is known for his longstanding relationship with director Spike Lee. He has appeared in six of his movies: 2002’s 25th Hour, 2004’s She Hate Me, 2012’s Red Hook Summer, 2015’s Chi-Raq, 2018’s BlacKkKlansman, and 2020’s Da 5 Bloods. Lee deemed him “my dear beloved brother” in a tribute post.
There is another important entry in Whitlock’s legacy; he popularised the signature phrase, “Sheeeeeit,” which he revealed he picked up from his Uncle Leon.
In an interview in 2008, the star discussed the unexpected popularity of the term, sharing, “I was in, I think, Grand Central Station, and far away I heard someone say it and they’d be kind of smiling. I’m glad people enjoy it.”
In the world of film, he most recently starred in the Elizabeth Banks film Cocaine Bear. His voice will be used in the upcoming Pixar/Disney animated feature, Hoppers.
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