Isaiah Whitlock Jr., known for his roles in “The Wire,” “Veep” and several Spike Lee films, has died, his manager confirmed to CBS News. He was 71 years old.
The cause of death was not immediately released.
His manager Brian Liebman described Whitlock in Instagram post as “a brilliant actor and an even better person.”
“It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my dear friend and client Isaiah Whitlock Jr. If you knew him, you would love him,” Libman wrote. “A brilliant actor and an even better person. May his memory be a blessing forever. Our hearts are so broken. He will be greatly, greatly missed.”
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Whitlock was born in Indiana in 1954 and attended Southwestern Minnesota State University before attending the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco after graduation. His first film appearance was in the 1981 television version of A Christmas Carol.
He is perhaps best known for his role as State Senator R. Clayton “Clay” Davis in the HBO series The Wire. He appeared in all five seasons of the acclaimed crime drama.
Whitlock was a recurring character from seasons two to four of the HBO comedy Veep, playing Secretary of Defense George Maddox.
Whitlock was a frequent collaborator with Spike Lee and appeared in several films, including The 25th Hour, She Hate Me, Red Hook Summer, Chi-Raq, BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods.
IN tribute published On Instagram, Lee wrote: “Today I learned of the passing of my dear beloved brother ISAIAH WHITLOCK. GOD BLESS.”
Whitlock made several appearances on the sketch comedy series Chappelle's Show. On the big screen, he also had roles in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas, as well as Pieces of April, Enchanted, and the Pixar films Cars 3 and Lightyear.
He voices the character in Pixar's upcoming animated sci-fi comedy Hoppers, slated for release in 2026.
