Isiah Whitlock Jr., a veteran character actor known for his work on "The Wire," "Veep" and several Spike Lee films, has died.
The actor, recognizable by his round cheeks and warm smile, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 30, in New York after battling a short illness. He was 71.
Whitlock’s manager, Brian Liebman, confirmed the news to Deadline, saying, "Isiah was a brilliant actor and even better person. He was loved by all who had the pleasure to work with or know him. He will be greatly missed."
Liebman also shared the news on Instagram. USA TODAY has reached out to Liebman for further comment.
Whitlock is best known to viewers of HBO’s “The Wire,” on which he played corrupt State Sen. R. Clayton “Clay” Davis for all five seasons of the lauded crime drama. He also held notable roles on HBO’s “Veep” as Secretary of Defense Gen. George Maddox, a shady politician on Showtime’s “Your Honor” and, most recently, as the Chief of Police on Netflix’s “The Residence.”
