Isiah Whitlock Jr: The Wire and Veep star dies aged 71 after battling short illness as tribute pour in
American actor Isiah Whitlock Jr has died at the age of 71, his agent has confirmed.
Brian Liebman, the actor’s close friend and manager, confirmed his sad passing in a post on social media. Whitlock Jr’s death came on December 30 after a short illness.
He said: “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. May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be very, very missed.”
He was best known for his role in the HBO crime drama series The Wire, in which he famously played slimy politician Clay Davis with the iconic catchphrase “sheee-it”. Show creator David Simon, whose experiences with the underbelly of the drug trafficking and criminal underworld in Baltimore, Maryland formed the basis of the HBO series, posted a single image of Whitlock Jr to social media site Bluesky in tribute to the actor.
Whitlock Jr was also known for his collaborations with Oscar-winning director Spike Lee in a number of his productions. He appeared in films such as She Hate Me, 25th Hour, Red Hook Summer, Chi-Raq, BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods.
Lee also posted a tribute to social media, saying on Instagram: “Today I Learned Of The Passing Of My Dear Beloved Brother ISIAH WHITLOCK. GOD BLESS.”
Whitlock Jr also appeared in the satire series Veep alongside Julia Louis Dreyfus, appearing as the US Secretary of Defence. He also had roles in films such as Goodfellas, and Pixar flicks Lightyear and Cars 3.
Tributes have also poured in from fans on social media. One heartbroken fan said: “Rest in Peace, Isiah Whitlock Jr. Da 5 Bloods is one of my favourites and he was so excellent and memorable as Melvin in it. This is heartbreaking.”
Another added: “Sheeeeeeeee-it. A legend. So many iconic moments. Rest easy.”