‘The Wire' star Isiah Whitlock Jr. dies at 71

The Wire star Isiah Whitlock Jr. has passed away at the age of 71.

The actor, who played R. Clayton "Clay" Davis, on the HBO drama, died reportedly after a short illness.

His manager Brian Liebman confirmed the upsetting news via an Instagram post on Tuesday, December 30.

"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," he announced.

Liebman recalled Isiah as "a brilliant actor and even better person," adding, "May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be very, very missed."

Born in South Bend, on September 14, 1954, the late actor’s acting credits include a 1987 episode of Cagney & Lacey, several Spike Lee films, including She Hate Me, Chi-Raq and BlacKkKlansman.

Among other roles, Isiah was best known for his portrayal of a corrupt Maryland State Senator with a reputation for pocketing bribes and instantly recognisable catchphrase (a comically exaggerated pronunciation of "s--t”) in The Wire.

In addition to his television work, which also included a recent stint on the HBO series Veep, Isaiah also showed off his acting chops in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas, 2023's Cocaine Bear, and Pieces of April and more films.