Key Takeaways
- Isiah Whitlock Jr. passed away at the age of 71 after a short illness.
- He gained fame for his role as Clayton “Clay” Davis in The Wire.
- Whitlock Jr. collaborated frequently with director Spike Lee on multiple films.
- His extensive film and television career included roles in numerous popular productions.
Isiah Whitlock Jr., the man who turned saying “Sheeeeeeeeee-it” into an art form, is dead at the age of 71. According to his manager, Whitlock Jr. passed away peacefully earlier today after battling a short illness. He’s best known for his appearances in The Wire and Veep, as well as his frequent collaborations with Spike Lee — very sad news.
The Wire Made His Iconic Catchphrase Legendary
The Wire proved to be a breakout role for Whitlock Jr. He played Clayton “Clay” Davis, a corrupt Maryland State Senator with a reputation for pocketing bribes and getting into trouble. And then, there’s that catchphrase. No one could stretch out the word shit as he could, and series creator David Simon knew it would follow the actor for the rest of his life.
“I remember at the closing night party, David Simon came up to me and he said, ‘You know you’re going to have to live with that.’ I said, ‘Eh, you know, in a year or so it’s going to be over.’ He said, ‘I don’t know,’ and it turned into everywhere I went,” Whitlock Jr. told The AV Club. “And I’m talking like around the world. I heard people saying —I saw it in Amsterdam on the other side of the tracks, written in like graffiti with a guy who looked like Fat Albert. I guess that was supposed to be me—I had a problem with that part. [Laughs.] But it was this [graffiti drawing] saying it, and I thought, ‘You know, I’m going to have to deal with this.’“
He continued, “But that’s just the effect that the show had on people. I was very happy about that. You say to yourself, “You know? I was part of something very, very good.” And you hear that they’re teaching it in colleges and things like that—the show still kind of resonates today, 20 years later. I’m very proud of that. I mean, I think any actor would love to be a part of something like that, and I was just fortunate enough to be there.“
Whitlock Jr. Worked with Spike Lee on Many Movies
The actor also frequently collaborated with director Spike Lee, appearing in films such as 25th Hour, She Hate Me, Red Hook Summer, Chi-Raq, BlacKkKlansman, and Da 5 Bloods. In fact, his catchphrase didn’t actually originate in The Wire, but was first said in 25th Hour.
His relationship with Lee began when the director saw him in a play and went backstage to meet him “I remember I was just nervous and terrified and he said, ‘You know, I really enjoyed the play,’” he said. “And then I had an audition with him immediately after that. That’s when I got the role of Agent Flood in The 25th Hour… Looking back, that was a big day for me because I didn’t realize that it would start this relationship over the next 20 years—it went from film to film to film, you know? Ending with Da 5 Bloods. To be blunt, I can’t speak enough [about Spike Lee], but he’s always been a fan of my work and has always put me in films and things so I appreciate that.“
His Other Film & TV Appearances
Whitlock Jr. also built an extensive film and television résumé, appearing in movies such as Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Goodfellas, Eddie, 1408, Enchanted, Choke, Cedar Rapids, The Angriest Man in Brooklyn, Pete’s Dragon, Cars 3, The Old Man & the Gun, I Care a Lot, Lightyear, and Cocaine Bear. On television, his credits were just as impressive with memorable roles on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, NYPD Blue, Chappelle’s Show, Rubicon, The Good Wife, Veep, The Blacklist, Gotham, Lucifer, The Mist, The Good Cop, and Your Honor, and countless others.
Our thoughts and condolences go out to Whitlock Jr.’s family and friends. Raise a glass and give the man one more “Sheeeeeeee-it” for the road.
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