Veep and The Wire actor dies at 71

Isiah Whitlock Jr, known for his memorable acting roles in The Wire and Veep, has died at the age of 71, according to his manager.

“It is with great sadness that I share the passing of my dear friend and client Isiah Whitlock Jr,” manager Brian Liebman wrote on Instagram.

Whitlock, who also appeared in Goodfellas and The Chappelle Show, was a longtime collaborator of director Spike Lee, who also paid a heartfelt tribute to him.

“Today I learned of the passing of my dear, beloved brother ISIAH WHITLOCK. GOD BLESS,” Lee wrote, alongside a photo of the two men shaking hands.

“If you knew him, you loved him. A brilliant actor and an even better person,” Mr. Liebman wrote.

“May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be greatly missed.”

In statements to Hollywood media, he added that Whitlock died in New York after a short illness.

On The Wire, Whitlock played the role of a corrupt politician and was known for his profane catchphrase, which Whitlock himself developed.

The phrase was based on his uncle, he said in a 2008 interview, and he had also said it with the same intonation in other films before debuting on HBO’s The Wire.

He was recognized throughout his career for his elongated version of a common curse word.

“I was, I think, at Grand Central Station and in the distance I heard someone say it and he was smiling,” he said in the interview. “I’m glad people like it.”

On Veep, he plays a comedic version of the US Secretary of Defense, who is running for office against the main character, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Whitlock has starred in six Spike Lee films, including 25th Hour, She Hate Me, Red Hook Summer, Chi-Raq, BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods.

The South Bend, Indiana native also had roles in the films Pieces of April, Enchanted and Cars 3 and Lightyear, as well as television roles in the Law and Order franchise.