
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.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. Movies & Career Overview
The filmography of Isiah Whitlock Jr. reflects a career marked by diverse experimentation. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.
Dominant Genre
A large portion of Isiah Whitlock Jr.'s work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.
Success Ratio
Approximately 42% of Isiah Whitlock Jr.'s films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.
One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains GoodFellas, which stands out as a key performance.
Best Isiah Whitlock Jr. Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Isiah Whitlock Jr.'s career based on audience ratings.
Full Filmography
Every movie Isiah Whitlock Jr. has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Hoppers | Bird King (voice) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 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 | Average | 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 → |
| 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 | Hit | 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", "Hoppers", and "BlacKkKlansman".




