John Witherspoon, Star Of ‘Friday,’ Has Died
Actor and comic John Witherspoon, finest recognized for his roles in Friday and The Wayans Bros., has handed away. He was 77.
The comedy legend’s household confirmed his loss of life to Deadline in a press release.
“It’s with deepest sorrow that we are able to verify our beloved husband and father, John Witherspoon, one of many hardest working males in present enterprise, died immediately at his dwelling in Sherman Oaks on the age of 77,” it reads. “He’s survived by his spouse Angela, and his sons JD, Alexander, and a big household. We’re all in shock, please give us a minute for a second in privateness and we are going to have a good time his life and his work collectively. John used to say ‘I am no massive deal,’ however he was an enormous deal to us.”
The Witherspoon household additionally shared a separate assertion addressing his passing on Twitter.
“He was a Legend within the leisure trade, and a father determine to all who watched him through the years,” their tweet reads. “We love you ‘POPS’ at all times & eternally.”
Witherspoon is finest recognized for his roles as Willie Jones within the Friday motion pictures, John “Pops” Williams in The Wayans Bros., and for voicing Robert Jebediah “Grandad” Freeman in The Boondocks.
His prolonged appearing resume in TV and movie can also be spectacular, with him starring within the likes of Hollywood Shuffle, Vampire in Brooklyn, Soul Aircraft, The Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air, Boomerang, I am Gonna Get You Sucka, Home Celebration, I Bought the Hook-Up, Little Man, The Richard Pryor Present, Black Jesus, Black-Ish, and lots of extra.
Along with his movie and TV work, he was additionally a staple in hip-hop tradition, having appeared in music movies for Jay-Z’s “I Simply Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)” and Subject Mob’s “Sick of Being Lonely.” Most just lately, he was even featured on Probability the Rapper’s album The Massive Day.
We ship our heartfelt condolences to John Witherspoon’s household, associates and followers throughout this time. Might he relaxation in peace.