Beloved Actor from ‘The Wire’ and Veep, Passes Away at 71
Isiah Whitlock Jr., the actor known for his role as the corrupt state senator Clay Davis on “The Wire,” has passed away at the age of 71 in New York, Variety reported.
His manager, Brian Liebman, shared the news on Instagram, saying: “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.”
Born in Indiana, Whitlock had a long career as a character actor. He was a frequent collaborator with director Spike Lee and appeared in several of his films, including “BlacKkKlansman,” “Da 5 Bloods,” “She Hate Me,” “25th Hour,” “Red Hook Summer,” and “Chi-Raq.”
Whitlock became famous for his catchphrase “sheeeeee-it,” a stretched-out version of the word “shit.” The phrase first appeared in his films “She Hate Me” and “25th Hour” before being included in “The Wire.” He once said that fans would stop him on the street multiple times a day to hear him say it. In a nod to his fame, he also played a character obsessed with “The Wire” in the comedy “Cedar Rapids.”
Whitlock appeared in many other notable projects. He had a small role as a doctor in Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” and appeared in shows like “Chappelle’s Show” and films including “Pieces of April” and “Enchanted.” He also lent his voice to Pixar’s “Cars 3” and “Lightyear,” and was set to voice a character in the upcoming animated sci-fi comedy “Hoppers,” due in 2026.
On television, he played George Maddox in Seasons 2 through 4 of “Veep,” portraying the U.S. Secretary of Defense who runs against Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ character Selina Meyer in the 2016 primaries.
Whitlock’s work left a lasting impression on fans and colleagues alike. His talent, humor, and charisma made him a standout in every role he played.
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