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Isiah Whitlock Jr dies at 71 after decades-long career spanning 'The Wire', 'Veep' and Spike Lee films
By Janelle Ash
Published December 30, 2025
"The Wire" star Isiah Whitlock Jr. has died. He was 71.
Whitlock died peacefully in New York on Tuesday after battling a short illness, his manager, Brian Liebman, confirmed to the Associated Press.
Whitlock was most famously known for his role as the corrupt state senator, Clay Davis, in HBO's "The Wire."
"The Wire" star Isiah Whitlock Jr. has died. He was 71. (Getty Images)
Liebman took to Instagram on Tuesday to honor Whitlock after his passing.
"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 alongside images of the actor.
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Whitlock also has a breakout role in "Veep," starring as George Maddox, the U.S. Secretary of Defense.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. is most famously known for his role in HBO's "The Wire." (Getty Images)
The actor also appeared in some of Spike Lee's movies, including "BlacKkKlansman," "Da 5 Bloods," "She Hate Me," "25th Hour," "Red Hook Summer" and "Chi-Raq."
In "25th Hour," Whitlock introduced his iconic phrase, "sheeeeeit," which was his interpretation of "sh-t." His phrase became so popular, the writers on "The Wire" decided to incorporate it into his character's lingo.
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"I was in, I think, Grand Central Station and far away I heard someone say it and they’d be kind of smiling," he said. "I’m glad people enjoy it," Whitlock said in a 2008 interview.
Whitlock also appeared in a number of Spike Lee movies. (Getty Images)
Whitlock also had a role in Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas."
Whitlock's final TV role was in Netflix's "The Residence." The series premiered on the streaming service in March. He also was a voice actor in Pixar's animated movie, "Hoppers," which is slated for a 2026 release.
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https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/isiah-whitlock-jr-dies-71-after-decades-long-career-spanning-the-wire-veep-spike-lee-films