Overview
- A prolific character actor with more than 125 credits, he was best known for playing State Sen. Clay Davis across all five seasons of HBO’s The Wire.
- Manager Brian Liebman announced the death publicly and no specific medical cause has been disclosed beyond a brief illness.
- Spike Lee, who cast Whitlock in six films including 25th Hour and Da 5 Bloods, and The Wire creator David Simon posted tributes on social media.
- He popularized the elongated catchphrase “Sheeeeeit,” first delivered in 25th Hour and later written into The Wire.
- His recent credits include a series-regular role in Netflix’s The Residence, and his voice will be heard posthumously in Pixar/Disney’s Hoppers expected in 2026.