The Wire actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. dies at 71

Summary
Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr., known for his role as Sen. Clay Davis on “The Wire,” died at age 71 on Dec. 30, 2025; the cause of death has not been released.

Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. died on Tuesday at the age of 30, aged 71. The film and television star has appeared in several productions and peaked with the role of Senator Clay Davis in the HBO series The Wire.

The information was confirmed via the social networks of his manager, Brian Liebman, who highlighted his friendship with the artist. The cause of death has not been revealed.

“It is with great 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 an even better person. May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be greatly missed,” he wrote.

Born in South Bend, Indiana, United States, Isiah has had excellent collaborations with director Spike Lee, starring in productions such as “Klansman” and “The Last Night”.

He also worked on works such as “Eu Me Importo”, “O Urso do Pó Branco” and “O Nevoeiro”. Throughout his career, his trademark was the slogan “sheeeeeeee-it.”