Isiah Whitlock Jr., a prolific actor whose work encompassed unforgettable roles in The Wire, Veep, and more, has died at the age of 71.
His death was confirmed by his manager, Brian Liebman, 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,” Liebman wrote in his remembrance. “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.”
The actor died Tuesday in New York after battling a short illness, Liebman told Deadline.
Whitlock’s portrayal of the corrupt State Senator Clay Davis on HBO series The Wire became one of his most memorable turns onscreen, while his famous delivery of “sheee-it” has become a cultural phenomenon among fans of the show. Whitlock first used the catchphrase in Spike Lee’s The 25th Hour, after being inspired by his uncle growing up.
“I would always be fascinated by just the way he would say it, and when he would say,” the actor told Slate in 2015. “So now fast forward to when I started acting. … [Lee] had requested it and so I did it, and the rest is history.”
Whitlock frequently collaborated with Lee throughout his career, featuring in the director’s BlacKkKlansman, Da 5 Bloods, She Hate Me, Red Hook Summer, and Chi-Raq.
The veteran actor also appeared in Goodfellas, Cedar Rapids, The Spanish Prisoner, Pieces of April, 1408, I Care a Lot, and Detachment.
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From Rolling Stone US
