Overview
- Wright’s wife, Susan Wright, confirmed his death in an Instagram post shared Friday and asked the public and press to respect the family’s privacy.
- Multiple outlets quoting a family statement to TMZ reported that Wright died in Los Angeles from heart failure with complications of Marchiafava‑Bignami, a rare degenerative neurological condition.
- Several major outlets reported the family said he died on Wednesday, and the reporting has produced a small discrepancy in early accounts about the precise date.
- Wright built a four‑decade career that included The Wanderers, Robert Altman’s Streamers for which his cast won the Volpi Cup, the sci‑fi series V, HBO’s Oz, and his signature role as Eddie King Jr. in Robert Townsend’s The Five Heartbeats.
- Colleagues and fans have posted tributes to Wright and the family says it will announce information about his life, legacy and memorial plans when it is ready.