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Isiah Whitlock Jr., Known for The Wire, Dies at 71

Spike Lee's tribute underscores the actor's enduring cultural imprint.

Overview

  • Manager Brian Liebman confirmed Whitlock died peacefully in New York on December 30 after a short illness, with no further cause disclosed.
  • He became widely known as corrupt State Senator Clay Davis on HBO's The Wire, where his stretched expletive became a cultural catchphrase.
  • Whitlock amassed more than 100 film and television credits, including roles in Veep, Goodfellas, The Residence and Cocaine Bear.
  • Lee, a frequent collaborator, called the death "a great, great, great loss" and said he would miss Whitlock for the rest of his life.
  • Reporting indicates he will appear posthumously in the forthcoming films Hoppers and The Body Is Water.