Isiah Whitlock obit

Isiah Whitlock Jr. Dies: ‘The Wire’ Actor & Frequent Spike Lee Collaborator Was 71

 

He was not on the list.

Isiah Whitlock Jr., a veteran character actor known for memorable roles in such series as The Wire, Veep, Your Honor and The Residence and a number of Spike Lee movies, died Tuesday in New York. He was 71.

His manager Brian Liebman told Deadline that Whitlock died peacefully after battling a short illness.

Born in South Bend, Indiana, Whitlock started his acting career by joining San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater after graduating from college.

His first notable screen role was a 1987 guest shot on CBS’ Cagney & Lacey. He worked steadily in television for the past 3½ decades doing dozens of guest appearances including the Law & Order franchise, with multiple episodes each on the mothership series, Special Victims Unit and Criminal Intent.

Whitlock is probably best known for playing corrupt State Sen. R. Clayton “Clay” Davis on HBO’s The Wire. He appeared on all five seasons of David Simon’s lauded crime drama, recurring in Seasons 1-4 before joining the main cast in Season 5.

He also recurred on HBO’s political comedy Veep as Secretary of Defense Gen. George Maddox and was a series regular on Showtime’s legal thriller drama Your Honor, playing a politician with connections to organized crime.

Whitlock’s last TV role was a series-regular turn as the Chief of Police opposite Uzo Aduba on Netflix’s White House murder mystery The Residence, which premiered in March.

In features, Whitlock is known for his longstanding relationship with Lee, appearing in six of the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s movies: 25th Hour (2002), She Hate Me (2004), Red Hook Summer (2012), Chi-Raq (2015), BlacKkKlansman (2018) and Da 5 Bloods (2020). Lee paid tribute to “my dear beloved brother” following Whitlock’s death.

It was in 25th Hour that Whitlock first introduced what would become his signature phrase, ‘Sheeeeeit,” his own interpretation of the word “sh*t,” a delivery he said in a 2008 interview that he had picked up from his uncle Leon.

“I did it there, and I did it in She Hate Me,” he said in the interview. “But then, when I got on to The Wire, I saw a couple of opportunities where I could do it, and I did. And they started writing it in.”

The phrase’s popularity grew, and it soon entered pop culture.

“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.”

In another meta moment, Whitlock got to play a character in the 2011 movie Cedar Rapids who is a self-professed fan of The Wire.

On the big screen, he most recently was seen in Elizabeth Banks’ black comedy Cocaine Bear and soon will be heard as part of the voice cast of the Pixar/Disney animated feature Hoppers.

“Isiah was a brilliant actor and even better person,” Liebman told Deadline. “He was loved by all who had the pleasure to work with or know him. He will be greatly missed.”

 

Actor

Hoppers

Bird King (voice)

Completed

2026

 

The Body is Water

David Alexander Wilkins

Post-production

 

Bronson Pinchot, Giancarlo Esposito, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Mel Rodriguez, Randall Park, Susan Kelechi Watson, Julieth Restrepo, Uzo Aduba, Molly Griggs, and Mary Wiseman in The Residence (2025)

The Residence

7.7

TV Mini Series

Larry Dokes

2025

8 episodes

 

Bryan Cranston in Your Honor (2020)

Your Honor

7.6

TV Series

Charlie Figaro

2020–2023

19 episodes

 

Cocaine Bear (2023)

Cocaine Bear

5.9

Bob

2023

 

Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz in Atlanta (2016)

Atlanta

8.6

TV Series

Raleigh Marks

2016–2022

2 episodes

 

Chris Evans in Lightyear (2022)

Lightyear

6.1

Commander Burnside (voice)

2022

 

Triggered (2022)

Triggered

7.7

Short

Ohio

2022

 

Lamorne Morris, Blake Anderson, Sasheer Zamata, and T. Murph in Woke (2020)

Woke

6.7

TV Series

Mr. Jackson

2022

2 episodes

 

The Kings of Napa (2022)

The Kings of Napa

4.6

TV Series

Reginald King

2022

1 episode

 

Apple & Onion (2016)

Apple & Onion

6.3

TV Series

Mayor Naise (voice)

2020–2021

5 episodes

 

Rosamund Pike in I Care a Lot (2020)

I Care a Lot

6.4

Judge Lomax

2020

 

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Da 5 Bloods

6.5

Melvin

2020

 

Sloan Hearts Neckface (2020)

Sloan Hearts Neckface

6.2

Short

Lester

2020

 

Leslie Bibb and Josh Duhamel in The Lost Husband (2020)

The Lost Husband

6.1

Russ McAllen

2020

 

Seneca (2019)

Seneca

7.1

Michael

2019

 

Run with the Hunted (2019)

Run with the Hunted

5.2

Lester

2019

 

Emily Ratajkowski and Theo James in Lying and Stealing (2019)

Lying and Stealing

5.5

Lyman Wilkers

2019

 

Jeremy Sisto, Alana De La Garza, Missy Peregrym, John Boyd, and Zeeko Zaki in FBI (2018)

FBI

7.1

TV Series

Richard Talmage

2019

1 episode

 

Demi Moore, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Calum Worthy, Ed Helms, Jessica Williams, Nasim Pedrad, Dan Bakkedahl, Martha Kelly, Jennifer Kim, and Karan Soni in Corporate Animals (2019)

Corporate Animals

4.5

Derek

2019

 

Lost Holiday (2019)

Lost Holiday

4.5

Matthews

2019

 

Téa Leoni in Madam Secretary (2014)

Madam Secretary

7.8

TV Series

Hervé Dupont

2018

1 episode

 

Tony Danza and Josh Groban in The Good Cop (2018)

The Good Cop

7.0

TV Series

Burl Loomis

2018

10 episodes

 

Will Arnett in BoJack Horseman (2014)

BoJack Horseman

8.8

TV Series

C.E.O. (voice)

2018

1 episode

 

Robert Redford in The Old Man & the Gun (2018)

The Old Man & the Gun

6.7

Detective Gene Dentler

2018

 

John David Washington in BlacKkKlansman (2018)

BlacKkKlansman

7.5

Mr. Turrentine

2018

 

All Square (2018)

All Square

6.2

Scotty

2018

 

Thin Ice (2017)

Thin Ice

7.6

TV Movie

Bill

2017

 

Kevin James and Leah Remini in Kevin Can Wait (2016)

Kevin Can Wait

5.6

TV Series

Jerry

2017

1 episode

 

She's Gotta Have It (2017)

She's Gotta Have It

7.0

TV Series

Dog #10

2017

1 episode

 

Tichina Arnold, RonReaco Lee, Erica Ash, Jessie T. Usher, and Teyonah Parris in Survivor's Remorse (2014)

Survivor's Remorse

7.2

TV Series

Samuel Jordan

2017

4 episodes

 

The Mist (2017)

The Mist

5.4

TV Series

Gus Bradley

2017

8 episodes

 

Tony Shalhoub, Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Cai Puri-Evans, Heledd Jarman, Cristela Alonzo, and Siân Eirian in Cars 3 (2017)

Cars 3

6.7

River Scott (voice)

2017

 

Michael Peña and Dax Shepard in CHIPS (2017)

CHIPS

6.0

Peterson

2017

 

Tim Meadows, Cheryl Hines, Jason Sudeikis, and Johnny Pemberton in Son of Zorn (2016)

Son of Zorn

6.8

TV Series

Robert

2017

1 episode

 

Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu in Elementary (2012)

Elementary

7.9

TV Series

Jack Brunelle

2017

1 episode

 

Person to Person (2017)

Person to Person

5.7

Buster

2017

 

Charity Case

3.6

TV Movie

Ronald

2016

 

Jay & Pluto (2016)

Jay & Pluto

TV Series

Therapist

2016

 

John Kassir and Oakes Fegley in Pete's Dragon (2016)

Pete's Dragon

6.7

Sheriff Gene Dentler (as Isiah Whitlock)

2016

 

Tom Ellis in Lucifer (2016)

Lucifer

8.0

TV Series

Carmen

2016

1 episode

 

Teyonah Parris in Chi-Raq (2015)

Chi-Raq

5.9

Bacchos

2015

 

Jennifer Carpenter and Jake McDorman in Limitless (2015)

Limitless

7.6

TV Series

Lawrence Drake

2015

1 episode

 

Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

8.1

TV Series

Captain ReeceTodd SmytheRobbery Division Captain ...

2000–2015

6 episodes

 

David Alan Grier, Loretta Devine, Amber Stevens West, Tiffany Haddish, Lil Rel Howery, and Jerrod Carmichael in The Carmichael Show (2015)

The Carmichael Show

7.7

TV Series

Reverend Carlson

2015

1 episode

 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Veep (2012)

Veep

8.4

TV Series

George Maddox

2013–2015

7 episodes

 

Gotham (2014)

Gotham

7.8

TV Series

Gerry Lang

2015

1 episode

 

Mark Hapka in 23 Blast (2014)

23 Blast

6.5

Dr. Connelly

2014

 

Luis Antonio Ramos, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Lorraine Bruce, Matt Long, Summer Bishil, and Stephen Louis Grush in Lucky 7 (2013)

Lucky 7

5.2

TV Series

Bob Harris

2013–2014

8 episodes

 

Nia Long, Damon Gupton, Paul Schneider, and Marin Ireland in The Divide (2014)

The Divide

7.5

TV Series

Rev. Cheeks

2014

1 episode

 

Robin Williams, Mila Kunis, Peter Dinklage, and Melissa Leo in The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (2014)

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn

5.7

Yates (Aaron's client)

2014

 

The Blacklist (2013)

The Blacklist

7.9

TV Series

Danny Moss

2014

1 episode

 

Lucas Bros Moving Co (2013)

Lucas Bros Moving Co

7.1

TV Series

Mr. Dream (voice)

2014

1 episode

 

Jerome's Bouquet (2013)

Jerome's Bouquet

8.1

Short

Jack

2013

 

Home (2013)

Home

7.4

Samuel

2013

 

Ned Luke, Shawn Fonteno, and Steven Ogg in Grand Theft Auto V (2013)

Grand Theft Auto V

9.4

Video Game

The Local Population (voice)

2013

 

Europa Report (2013)

Europa Report

6.4

Dr. Tarik Pamuk

2013

 

Jimmy Fallon in Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009)

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

6.7

TV Series

Trent

2013

2 episodes

 

Newlyweeds (2013)

Newlyweeds

5.8

Philly

2013

 

John Magaro and Bella Heathcote in Not Fade Away (2012)

Not Fade Away

6.0

Landers

2012

 

Louis C.K. in Louie (2010)

Louie

8.5

TV Series

Alphonse

2012

2 episodes

 

Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, P!nk, Mark Ruffalo, and Josh Gad in Thanks for Sharing (2012)

Thanks for Sharing

6.4

Charles

2012

 

Anjelica Huston, Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Christian Borle, Leslie Odom Jr., Jennifer Hudson, Katharine McPhee, Megan Hilty, Jeremy Jordan, Krysta Rodriguez, and Andy Mientus in Smash (2012)

Smash

7.7

TV Series

Ronald Strickland

2012

2 episodes

 

Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo, and Tracy Morgan in Why Stop Now? (2012)

Why Stop Now?

5.5

Black

2012

 

Red Hook Summer (2012)

Red Hook Summer

5.3

Detective Flood

2012

 

Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife (2009)

The Good Wife

8.3

TV Series

Ira Protopapas

2011

1 episode

 

Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, Eric Bogosian, Julianne Nicholson, and Chris Noth in Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001)

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

7.6

TV Series

Crime Scene DetectiveDetective

2001–2011

3 episodes

 

Chaos (2011)

Chaos

7.0

TV Series

Warren

2011

1 episode

 

Adrien Brody and Christina Hendricks in Detachment (2011)

Detachment

7.7

Mr. Mathias

2011

 

Onion SportsDome (2011)

Onion SportsDome

7.5

TV Series

Wally WrightIsiah Whitlock Jr.

2011

3 episodes

 

Gun Hill Road (2011)

Gun Hill Road

6.5

Officer Thompson

2011

 

Ed Helms in Cedar Rapids (2011)

Cedar Rapids

6.3

Ronald Wilkes

2011

 

Main Street (2010)

Main Street

4.8

Mayor

2010

 

James Badge Dale in Rubicon (2010)

Rubicon

7.9

TV Series

Mr. Roy

2010

6 episodes

 

Emma Roberts, 50 Cent, and Chace Crawford in Twelve (2010)

Twelve

5.6

Detective Dumont (as Isiah Whitlock)

2010

 

Meet the Browns (2009)

Meet the Browns

3.8

TV Series

Sidney Graves

2010

1 episode

 

Speed Grieving (2009)

Speed Grieving

8.1

Short

Dr. Holder

2009

 

Chris Diamantopoulos and Kelly Overton in Under New Management (2009)

Under New Management

6.0

Rev. A.L. Blunton

2009

 

Adam Goldberg, Harold Perrineau, Jeremy Renner, and Amber Tamblyn in The Unusuals (2009)

The Unusuals

7.9

TV Series

Captain Leslie Morgan

2009

1 episode

 

I Hate Valentine's Day (2009)

I Hate Valentine's Day

4.7

Drummer

2009

 

Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Don Cheadle, and Wesley Snipes in Brooklyn's Finest (2009)

Brooklyn's Finest

6.7

Investigator #3 (as Isiah Whitlock)

2009

 

The Things We Know

Short

Keith

2008

 

Adrien Brody, Norman Reedus, Beyoncé, Jeffrey Wright, and Shiloh Fernandez in Cadillac Records (2008)

Cadillac Records

7.0

Mississippi DJ

2008

 

Human Giant (2007)

Human Giant

8.1

TV Series

Casting Director

2008

1 episode

 

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in New Amsterdam (2008)

New Amsterdam

7.4

TV Series

Joe Williams

2008

1 episode

 

The Wire (2002)

The Wire

9.3

TV Series

State Senator R. Clayton 'Clay' Davis

2002–2008

25 episodes

 

Choke (2008)

Choke

6.4

Detective Palmer

2008

 

Susan Sarandon, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, and Amy Adams in Enchanted (2007)

Enchanted

7.1

Ethan Banks

2007

 

The Man in My House

Short

T.J.

2007

 

John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson in 1408 (2007)

1408

6.8

Hotel Engineer

2007

 

A Nick in Time

7.8

Short

Old Bob Delagard

2007

 

William Hurt, Julianna Margulies, Rita Wilson, and Michelle Trachtenberg in Beautiful Ohio (2006)

Beautiful Ohio

5.7

Mr. Lebreaux

2006

 

Dave Chappelle in Chappelle's Show (2003)

Chappelle's Show

8.8

TV Series

HaroldStore manager

2003–2006

2 episodes

 

Kettle of Fish (2006)

Kettle of Fish

5.2

Freddie

2006

 

Slavery and the Making of America (2005)

Slavery and the Making of America

7.8

TV Series

MinisterPetitioner

2005

1 episode

 

Stealing Martin Lane (2005)

Stealing Martin Lane

6.9

Chopper

2005

 

Janeane Garofalo and David Schwimmer in Duane Hopwood (2005)

Duane Hopwood

6.5

William

2005

 

Honey Trap (2005)

Honey Trap

7.2

Short

The Detective

2005

 

Law & Order (1990)

Law & Order

7.8

TV Series

Capt. NavarroFred OakesSimon Brooks ...

1995–2004

5 episodes

 

Anthony Mackie in She Hate Me (2004)

She Hate Me

5.3

Agent Amos Flood (as Isiah Whitlock)

2004

 

Billy Burke, Adam Busch, Shalom Harlow, Jeff Hephner, and Cote de Pablo in The Jury (2004)

The Jury

7.1

TV Series

Abbott Truman

2004

1 episode

 

Bought & Sold (2003)

Bought & Sold

6.9

Mr. Stubbs

2003

 

Oliver Platt, Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, and Derek Luke in Pieces of April (2003)

Pieces of April

7.0

Eugene

2003

 

Edward Norton in 25th Hour (2002)

25th Hour

7.6

Agent Flood

2002

 

NYPD Blue (1993)

NYPD Blue

7.8

TV Series

Anton Emery

2002

1 episode

 

Driving Fish

9.5

Short

Mason

2002

 

Tom Cavanagh in Ed (2000)

Ed

7.7

TV Series

Tim Unger

2001

2 episodes

 

WW 3 (2001)

WW 3

5.0

TV Movie

2001

 

Jump Tomorrow (2001)

Jump Tomorrow

7.1

George's Uncle

2001

 

Gabriel Byrne, Roy Dotrice, and John Hensley in Madigan Men (2000)

Madigan Men

6.8

TV Series

Airport Guard

2000

1 episode

 

Michelle Forbes, Billy Burke, Joelle Carter, Martin Donovan, Ted Levine, and Michael Jai White in Wonderland (2000)

Wonderland

7.6

TV Series

Reviewer (uncredited)

2000

1 episode

 

Michael Beach, Eddie Cibrian, Kim Raver, Jason Wiles, Coby Bell, Amy Carlson, Molly Price, Anthony Ruivivar, and Skipp Sudduth in Third Watch (1999)

Third Watch

8.0

TV Series

Reggie Simmons

1999

1 episode

 

Damon Wayans in Harlem Aria (1999)

Harlem Aria

5.9

Manny

1999

 

A Fish in the Bathtub (1998)

A Fish in the Bathtub

6.1

Rudy

1998

 

Liberty! The American Revolution (1997)

Liberty! The American Revolution

8.5

TV Mini Series

Luke-Slave

1997

6 episodes

 

Campbell Scott in The Spanish Prisoner (1997)

The Spanish Prisoner

7.1

Trooper

1997

 

Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

Everyone Says I Love You

6.7

Cop (as Isiah Whitlock)

1996

 

Whoopi Goldberg in Eddie (1996)

Eddie

5.2

Rick

1996

 

Patti D'Arbanville, Michael DeLorenzo, and Malik Yoba in New York Undercover (1994)

New York Undercover

7.9

TV Series

Chief Hardin

1996

1 episode

 

Queen (1993)

Queen

7.6

TV Mini Series

Preacher (as Isiaah Whitlock)

1993

1 episode

 

As the World Turns (1956)

As the World Turns

6.3

TV Series

Dr. Phalen

1992

1 episode

 

Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Joe Pesci in Goodfellas (1990)

Goodfellas

8.7

Doctor

1990

 

Howie Mandel and Tony Randall in Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Gremlins 2: The New Batch

6.5

Fireman

1990

 

Ronald Maccone and Irene Papas in Ocean (1989)

Ocean

7.5

TV Mini Series

The Moose (as Isiah Whitloch Jr.)

1989

6 episodes

 

Cagney & Lacey (1981)

Cagney & Lacey

6.9

TV Series

Man Getting a Cab (as Isiah Whitlock)

1987

1 episode

 

A Christmas Carol

4.4

TV Movie

Second Charitable GentlemanParty Guest

1981

 

Writer

The Whitlock Academy (2015)

The Whitlock Academy

TV Series

Writer

2015–2016

4 episodes

 

Additional Crew

Roger Clark in Red Dead Redemption II (2018)

Red Dead Redemption II

9.8

Video Game

additional motion capture

2018

 

Self

Constance Cooks

Self

Post-productionTV Series

1 episode

 

Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods: Casting and Crafting a Timely Epic

Self

2021

 

Live from Detroit: The Jeff Dwoskin Show (2020)

Live from Detroit: The Jeff Dwoskin Show

9.0

TV Series

Self - Guest

2021

1 episode

 

Spike Lee: American Cinematheque Tribute (2021)

Spike Lee: American Cinematheque Tribute

TV Special

Self

2021

 

Nicolas Cage in History of Swear Words (2021)

History of Swear Words

6.4

TV Series

Self - Actor

2021

2 episodes

 

Showtime: YouTube Channel (2006)

Showtime: YouTube Channel

TV Series

Self

2021

1 episode

 

Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Wahlberg, and Kylie Erica Mar in Made in Hollywood (2005)

Made in Hollywood

4.7

TV Series

Self

2020

1 episode

 

Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas (2018)

Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas

6.8

TV Series

Self - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2018

1 episode

 

Cars 3: Legendary

7.0

Video

Self

2017

 

The Whitlock Academy (2015)

The Whitlock Academy

TV Series

Self

2015–2016

4 episodes

 

Jimmy Fallon in Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009)

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

6.7

TV Series

Self

2012

1 episode

 

The Wire Odyssey (2007)

The Wire Odyssey

7.8

TV Movie

Self

2007

 

Archive Footage

Say Goodnight Kevin (2014)

Say Goodnight Kevin

7.5

TV Series

Self - Dr. Connelly (archive footage)

2018

1 episode