Isiah Whitlock Jr., Beloved ‘The Wire’ And ‘Veep’ Actor, Dies At 71

Thursday, January 1, 2026 at 7:01 PM

Isiah Whitlock Jr. died on Tuesday in New York at age 71. The actor was best known for portraying corrupt state senator Clay Davis on HBO's The Wire."His manager Brian Liebman announced the death on Instagram, writing: "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." The Indiana-born character actor frequently collaborated with director Spike Lee on films including BlacKkKlansman, Da 5 Bloods and 25th Hour. Whitlock also played Secretary of Defense George Maddox on HBO's Veep and appeared in Goodfellas, Cedar Rapids and Pixar's Cars 3. He was famous for his catchphrase "sheeeeee-it" from The Wire. (Story URL)

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