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‘The Wire’ actor also known for Spike Lee films
Los Angeles Times
|January 01, 2026
Isiah Whitlock Jr., best known for his role in HBO's “The Wire” and his collaborations with director Spike Lee in films such as “BlacKkKlansman” and “Da 5 Bloods,” has died. He was 71.
Whitlock’s manager, Brian Liebman, disclosed news of his client’s death in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
“It is with tremendous sadness that I share the passing of my dear friend and client Isiah Whitlock Jr.,” Liebman wrote. “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 told Deadline that Whitlock died peacefully in New York after a short illness.
Born in South Bend, Ind., Whitlock had dreams of playing pro football. He told NPR in 2021 that, while playing at Southwest Minnesota State University, he got “banged up ... concussions, broken ankles.”
This story is from the January 01, 2026 edition of Los Angeles Times.
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