Legendary actor Michael Wright died at age 70.
The cause of his death is not disclosed yet.
Wright's wife with "unimaginable heaviness" in her heart shared the news of his demise.
American actor Michael Wright, best known for his roles in the films The Five Heartbeats, Streamers and Sugar Hill, is no more. The legendary actor passed away at the age of 70. Wright’s wife, Susan, confirmed his death on social media. The reason for his death wasn’t revealed, but Susan said that the family would share more information in the coming days.
Michael Wright dies
"Michael was a husband, a father… a grandfather, loved one, a friend, and an extraordinary artist whose work touched generations," read Susan's social media post. "His talent, presence, and contributions to film and television will live on, but to those of us who loved him personally, he was so much more than the roles the world knew him for."
"Our family is grieving an enormous and deeply personal loss. We understand how much Michael meant to so many people, and we are grateful for the love, prayers, memories, and condolences already being shared," it stated.
The family also asked the public, members of the media, and those who knew and admired Michael to give them privacy and grace to grieve the loss and process this difficult time.
"We also ask that people refrain from sharing unconfirmed information or speaking on behalf of our family," it stated further.
Towards the end, Susan wrote, "Michael, your work will live forever, but your love will live even longer in the hearts of those who knew you best. Rest peacefully, my love. You will be missed beyond words."
Michael Wright's career
Wright’s career spanned over 40 years across cinema and television. Before gaining popularity with The Five Heartbeats, he earned international critical acclaim for his role in Robert Altman’s 1983 military drama Streamers, bagging the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival.
Before that he worked in the 1979 iconic film The Wanderers, 1987 action drama The Principal and the 1994 crime film Sugar Hill.
Wright was also a popular name in television. He starred in science fiction saga V and later played Omar White in HBO’s prison drama Oz between 2001 and 2003. He also worked in the superhero series Black Lightning.
