Veteran Hollywood actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. died Tuesday in New York. He was 71.
He was known for his roles in The Wire, Veep, Your Honor and The Residence and several Spike Lee movies.
His manager Brian Liebman confirmed the news on social media.
American actor Isiah Whitlock Jr., best known for his iconic roles as corrupt state senator Clay Davis in The Wire and George Maddox, the U.S. Secretary of Defence, in Veep, passed away on Tuesday (December 30) in New York at the age of 71.
On Wednesday, Brian Liebman, his manager, confirmed the news of Isiah Whitlock Jr.'s death on social media. Liebman took to his Instagram handle and paid a heartfelt tribute to his "dear friend and client."
"It is with tremendous sadness that I share the passing of my dear friend and client Isiah Whitlock Jr," he wrote, sharing a few throwback pics.
"If you knew him - you loved him. 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 (sic)," he added.
In a statement to Hollywood news outlets, he said that Whitlock passed away after a short illness.
Spike Lee pays tribute to Isiah Whitlock Jr.
Director Spike Lee, who was a longtime collaborator with Whitlock, also penned a heartfelt note for the late actor. "Today I Learned Of The Passing Of My Dear Beloved Brother ISIAH WHITLOCK. GOD BLESS," Lee wrote, while sharing a picture of both the legends shaking hands.
Whitlock starred in six films by the Oscar-winning filmmaker, including 25th Hour, She Hate Me, Red Hook Summer, Chi-Raq , BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods.
About Isiah Whitlock Jr.'s career
Born in South Bend, Indiana, on September 13, 1954, Whitlock went to John Adams High School, from where he graduated in 1972. He attended college at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota, where he studied theatre. He began his acting career by joining San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre after graduating from college.
His first screen role was on CBS’ Cagney & Lacey. He worked in television for over three decades, appearing in dozens of guest roles, including the Law & Order franchise, Special Victims Unit and Criminal Intent.
His most popular role was the corrupt State Sen. R. Clayton “Clay” Davis on HBO’s The Wire, in which he starred in all five seasons of David Simon’s crime drama.
Your Honor, The Good Cop, History of Swear Words, Chappelle’s Show, The Kings of Napa, and Woke, among others, are some of his other shows.
Whitlock’s last TV role was in Netflix’s murder mystery The Residence, which premiered in March.
In films, apart from working with Lee, Whitlock also collaborated with Martin Scorsese for Goodfellas and appeared in features like Pieces of April, Enchanted, Cars 3, The Old Man & the Gun and Lightyear, among others.
