Overview
- Manager Brian Liebman announced the death on Instagram and to Deadline, calling Whitlock “a brilliant actor and even better person.”
- Liebman said Whitlock died peacefully on Dec. 30 after a short illness, with no further medical details disclosed.
- Whitlock earned wide recognition as State Sen. R. Clayton “Clay” Davis on HBO’s The Wire, where his elongated “sheeeeee-it” became a pop‑culture signature.
- He collaborated with Spike Lee on six films and held notable TV roles on Veep, Your Honor and Netflix’s The Residence earlier this year.
- He is expected to be heard posthumously in Pixar/Disney’s animated feature Hoppers, slated for 2026.