Isiah Whitlock Jr., actor known for ‘The Wire,’ ‘Veep’ and Spike Lee films, dies at 71

Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. has died, Liebman Entertainment confirmed on social media.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of a member of our family, Isiah Whitlock Jr.,” Liebman Entertainment said in a statement on social media. “He will be deeply missed for his zest for life and the unforgettable presence he brought to the screen. May his talent and legacy always be remembered.”

The actor’s manager, Brian Liebman, also paid tribute to the actor on Instagram and called Whitlock a “brilliant actor and even better person.”

“If you knew him – you loved him,” Liebman said. “May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be very, very missed.”

He is known for “The Wire” and for frequently collaborating with director Spike Lee on films like “Da 5 Bloods” and “BlacKkKlansman.”

Born on Sept. 13, 1954, in South Bend, Indiana, Whitlock got his start as an actor while attending college at Southwest Minnesota State University, where he had a football scholarship and studied theater. He joined the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, CA, after graduating in 1976.

In 1987, he landed a role in the TV series “Cagney & Lacey,” in which, according to IMDB, Whitlock played a man getting in a cab.

He went on to book a few more roles in films like “Gremlins 2: The New Batch,” “Goodfellas” in 1990, where he played a doctor, the TV series “As the World Turns” and more.

From 2002 to 2008, he starred as Senator R. Clayton “Clay” Davis in “The Wire.” He made the role his own when he developed the catchphrase for his character, “sheeeeee-it.”

The actor told Baltimore Media Blog in 2015 that the catchphrase came about when he started working on Spike Lee’s 2002 film “25th Hour.”