American actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. passed away at the age of 71, on Tuesday, in New York. Brian Liebman, his manager, shared the news on Instagram. “It is with tremendous sadness that I share the passing of my dear friend and client Isiah Whitlock Jr. If you knew him - you loved him. A brilliant actor and even better person. May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be very, very missed”, Liebman wrote.Born in South Bend, Indiana, Whitlock debuted in a 1987 episode of the CBS drama Cagney & Lacey, after studying theatre at the American Conservatory Theatre.
He frequently appeared in Spike Lee's films, including 25th Hour (2002), She Hate Me (2004), Red Hook Summer (2012), Chi-Raq (2015), BlacKkKlansman (2018), and Da 5 Bloods (2020).
He was best known for his role in The Wire (2002-2008), the HBO crime drama series created by author and journalist David Simon. On The Wire, Whitlock played Maryland State Senator Clayton “Clay” Davis, who chooses corruption over responsibility.
He also played a doctor in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990). Whitlock was known for his drawn-out pronunciation of "sheeeeiit," a catchphrase that originated in Lee's 25th Hour and became iconic in The Wire.
He played Melvin in Lee’s Da 5 Bloods, which tells the story of four veterans returning to Vietnam in quest for the remains of their squad leader and hidden gold. He also played George Maddox in the political satire series Veep (2012).
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He also worked as a voice actor in animated films, including Lightyear (2022), Cars 3 (2017), and Hoppers (2026).
His last role was as Chief of Police Larry Dokes in The Residence, a Netflix murder mystery show that premiered in March 2025. He was nominated for a Black Reel Award in 2012 for outstanding supporting actor in Cedar Rapids (2011), where he played insurance agent Ronald Wilkes.
