Isaiah Whitlock Jr., known for his memorable roles on “The Wire” and “Veep,” has died at age 71, his manager said.
“It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my dear friend and client Isaiah Whitlock Jr.,” manager Brian Liebman wrote on Instagram.
Whitlock, who also starred in Goodfellas and Chappelle's Show, was a longtime collaborator with director Spike Lee, who also paid him a heartfelt tribute.
“Today I learned of the passing of my dear beloved brother ISAIAH WHITLOCK. GOD BLESS,” Lee wrote alongside a photo of the two men shaking hands.
“If you knew him, you would love him. A brilliant actor and an even better person,” Mr. Liebman wrote.
“May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be greatly, greatly missed.”
In statements to Hollywood news outlets, he added that Whitlock died in New York after a short illness.
In The Wire, Whitlock played a corrupt politician and was known for his obscenity line, which Whitlock himself coined.
His lengthened version of the common swear word was inspired by his uncle, he said in a 2008 interview.
He also used it in the films he made before The Wire, but then it became so popular that it entered the lexicon.
“I was, I think, at Grand Central Station and somewhere in the distance I heard someone say that and they were kind of smiling,” he said. “I'm glad people like it.”
In Veep, he played a comedic version of the US Secretary of Defense who runs for office against the title character, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Whitlock starred in six Spike Lee films, including “The 25th Hour,” “The Hate U Me,” “Red Hook Summer,” “Chi-Raq,” “BlacKkKlansman” and “Da 5 Bloods.”
The South Bend, Indiana native also had roles in the films Pieces of April, Enchanted and Cars 3 and Lightyear, as well as television roles in the Law & Order franchise.
