Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr., best known for his role as Clay Davis on the HBO series The Wire and a longtime collaborator with director Spike Lee, has died at age 71 after a brief illness. His manager, Brian Liebman, confirmed the news. Whitlock gained fame for his unique delivery of the word “shit” on The Wire, often stretching it out as if it carried the weight of the world. He even playfully marked Twitter’s expansion of its character limit with a 280-character swear. He also appeared in the documentary The History of Swear Words, embracing his fondness for the expletive. Spike Lee paid tribute to his “Dear Beloved Brother” online, remembering their two decades of working together on seven projects, including 25th Hour, She Hate Me, Red Hook Summer, Chi-Raq, She’s Gotta Have It, BlacKKKlansman, and Da Five Bloods.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. was born in South Bend, Indiana, in 1954. After college, he trained at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. He began his film and television career in the late 1980s and early 1990s, appearing in small roles in films like Gremlins 2: The New Batch and Goodfellas, and on the television show As the World Turns. Like many actors in New York, he played various characters across several shows in the Law & Order franchise.
In 2002, Whitlock began playing the role of the dishonest State Senator Clayton “Clay” Davis on The Wire, a character he portrayed throughout the show’s five seasons. He also appeared in the film 25th Hour that same year. Following The Wire, Whitlock became a popular character actor, taking on roles in a wide variety of projects, from the comedy Cedar Rapids (where his character was a fan of The Wire) to Veep and even The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.
Both The Wire and 25th Hour feature actor Clarke Peters delivering his signature exclamation. He explained to Slate in 2008 that he picked up the unique way of saying it from his uncle, who would respond to a question like “How’d you enjoy your dinner?” with a drawn-out, “Sheee-it, I tore them pork chops up.” Director Spike Lee heard Peters use the phrase and included it in his performance in 25th Hour. The phrase was then specifically written into the script for Peters’ first The Wire scene. According to Deadline, Peters recalled hearing someone say it while he was in Grand Central Station, noting they were smiling as they did so. He added that he’s happy people enjoy it.
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2025-12-31 21:55