
Isiah Whitlock Jr.
ActingAbout Isiah Whitlock Jr.
Isiah Whitlock, Jr. (September 13, 1954 – December 30, 2025) was an American actor. He is most famous for his role on the HBO television series, The Wire as corrupt state senator Clay Davis. In 2011, Whitlock played an insurance agent named Ronald Wilkes in the film Cedar Rapids. Wilkes is a self-described fan of The Wire and does an impersonation of character Omar Little. Whitlock has said that the references to the series were written in before he became involved in Cedar Rapids. He is also notable for appearing in Spike Lee films She Hate Me and 25th Hour as Agent Amos Flood. In all three projects, Whitlock established a catchphrase from his characters' distinct pronunciation of the word "shit" ("sheee-it"). He appeared as Eugine, a supporting role, in the 2003 film Pieces of April. He had a bit part in Goodfellas as a doctor who gives Henry Hill a Valium while attending to his brother. In 2007, he played Ethan Banks in Enchanted. Whitlock made appearances on Chappelle's Show and played various characters on Law & Order and its' spinoff, Law & Order: SVU. He also appeared in promotional spots for the Wii video game Punch-Out!! portraying the character Doc Louis.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Isiah Whitlock Jr. reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Isiah Whitlock Jr.'s filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 40% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Isiah Whitlock Jr. remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in GoodFellas, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Isiah Whitlock Jr. Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Isiah Whitlock Jr.'s career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Isiah Whitlock Jr..
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Cocaine Bear | Bob | Average | Similar → |
| 2022 | Lightyear | Commander Burnside (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2021 | I Care a Lot | Judge Lomax | Hit | Similar → |
| 2020 | Da 5 Bloods | Melvin | Hit | Similar → |
| 2020 | The Lost Husband | Russ McAllen | Hit | Similar → |
| 2019 | Run with the Hunted | Lester | Flop | Similar → |
| 2019 | Corporate Animals | Derek | Flop | Similar → |
| 2019 | Lying and Stealing | Lyman | Average | Similar → |
| 2018 | All Square | Scotty | Average | Similar → |
| 2018 | The Old Man & the Gun | Detective Gene Dentler | Average | Similar → |
| 2018 | BlacKkKlansman | Mr. Turrentine | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2017 | Person to Person | Buster | Flop | Similar → |
| 2017 | Cars 3 | River Scott (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2017 | CHiPs | Peterson | Average | Similar → |
| 2016 | Pete's Dragon | Sheriff Gene Dentler | Average | Similar → |
| 2015 | Chi-Raq | Bacchos | Average | Similar → |
| 2014 | 23 Blast | Dr. Connelly | Hit | Similar → |
| 2014 | The Angriest Man in Brooklyn | Yates | Average | Similar → |
| 2013 | Home | Samuel | Hit | Similar → |
| 2013 | Thanks for Sharing | Charles | Average | Similar → |
| 2013 | Europa Report | Dr. Pamuk | Average | Similar → |
| 2012 | Not Fade Away | Landers | Flop | Similar → |
| 2012 | Why Stop Now? | Black | Flop | Similar → |
| 2012 | Red Hook Summer | Detective Flood | Flop | Similar → |
| 2011 | Gun Hill Road | Officer Thompson | Average | Similar → |
| 2011 | Detachment | Mr. Mathias | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2011 | Cedar Rapids | Ronald Wilkes | Average | Similar → |
| 2010 | Twelve | Detective Dumont | Average | Similar → |
| 2010 | Brooklyn's Finest | Investigator #3 (as Isiah Whitlock) | Average | Similar → |
| 2009 | I Hate Valentine's Day | Drummer | Flop | Similar → |
| 2009 | Under New Management | Rev. A.L. Blunton | Flop | Similar → |
| 2008 | Cadillac Records | Mississippi DJ | Hit | Similar → |
| 2008 | Choke | Detective Palmer | Average | Similar → |
| 2007 | The Wire Odyssey | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 2007 | Enchanted | Ethan Banks | Hit | Similar → |
| 2007 | 1408 | Hotel Engineer | Hit | Similar → |
| 2006 | Beautiful Ohio | Mr. Lebreaux | Flop | Similar → |
| 2005 | Duane Hopwood | William | Average | Similar → |
| 2004 | She Hate Me | Amos Flood | Flop | Similar → |
| 2003 | Pieces of April | Eugene | Hit | Similar → |
| 2002 | 25th Hour | Agent Flood | Hit | Similar → |
| 2001 | Jump Tomorrow | George's Uncle | Average | Similar → |
| 2001 | WW3 | - | Flop | Similar → |
| 1999 | Harlem Aria | Manny | Hit | Similar → |
| 1999 | A Fish in the Bathtub | Rudy | Hit | Similar → |
| 1997 | The Spanish Prisoner | Trooper | Hit | Similar → |
| 1996 | Everyone Says I Love You | Cop | Average | Similar → |
| 1996 | Eddie | Rick | Average | Similar → |
| 1990 | GoodFellas | Doctor | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1990 | Gremlins 2: The New Batch | Fireman | Hit | Similar → |
Isiah Whitlock Jr. - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Isiah Whitlock Jr.?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Isiah Whitlock Jr. is "GoodFellas" with a rating of 8.5/10.
How many movies has Isiah Whitlock Jr. acted in?
Isiah Whitlock Jr. has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Isiah Whitlock Jr.?
Other notable films include "Detachment", "BlacKkKlansman", and "Harlem Aria".




