Character actor Michael Wright, best known for his roles in “Sugar Hill” and “The Five Heartbeats,” died from heart failure on August 19 in California, his family announced. He was 70.
His wife, Susan Wright, announced his death Friday in a statement shared in a post on Instagram.
“It is with profound sadness and an unimaginable heaviness in my heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Michael Wright,” she wrote.
She described her husband as “an extraordinary artist whose work touched generations.”
She asked fans to give the family space to grieve and to refrain from sharing misinformation on social media.
“We respectfully ask the public, members of the media, and those who knew and admired Michael to please allow our family the privacy and grace to grieve during this incredibly difficult time. We also ask that people refrain from sharing unconfirmed information or speaking on behalf of our family.”
Wright’s family later told TMZ he died from heart failure and complications from Marchiafava-Bignami, a progressive neurological disorder.
Wright also appeared in Streamers (1983), Sugar Hill (1994), and for his television roles V: The Series (1984–1985), Oz (2001–2003), and Black Lightning (2019).
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