'The Wire' and 'Veep' star Isiah Whitlock Jr. dead at 71

Isiah Whitlock Jr., known for his roles on shows like “The Wire” and “Veep,” has died at 71.

His manager, Brian Liebman, confirmed the news on social media.

“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. A brilliant actor and even better person. May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be very, very missed,” he wrote alongside a photo of the two.

No cause of death was provided.

Whitlock was born in South Bend, Indiana in 1954, later studying theater at Southwest Minnesota State University.

He made his first credited TV appearance in 1981 in a TV movie version of “A Christmas Carol,” before later landing roles on shows including “Law & Order” and “Third Watch.”

Whitlock’s breakout role came on HBO’s “The Wire,” playing the corrupt state senator Clay Davis across the show’s five seasons.

He also was well-known for his role George Maddox, the U.S. Secretary of Defense who runs against Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Selina Meyer in the show’s version of the 2016 primaries.

The actor was also a frequent collaborator with director Spike Lee, appearing in his films “BlacKkKlansman,” “Da 5 Bloods,” “She Hate Me,” “25th Hour,” “Red Hook Summer” and “Chi-Raq.”

Whitlock also created a signature catchphrase for himself throughout his career, a drawn out version of “s—t” pronounced “sheeeeee-it.” He first dropped the word in “She Hate Me” and “25th Hour,” and the writers of “The Wire” later incorporated it into his character.

According to Variety, Whitlock said he could be stopped multiple times a day on the street by fans asking him to say his catchphrase.

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