Oh no, such a sad, sad thing to have to report.
The Wire is heralded as one of the best shows of all time, and we’re sad to say that Robert F. Chew, who played Proposition Joe, has been found dead in his Baltimore apartment.
Jamie Hector, who played Marlo on the show, had this to say about his fallen friend:
https://twitter.com/JamieHector/status/292344620980002816″ data-datetime=”2013-01-18T18:56:03+00:00
Chew wasn’t the healthiest man, and according to the coroner, he died of cardiovascular disease. He had been obese, and it was listed as one of the reasons for his passing. He was only 52, and was also a teacher.
Here’s what the creator of the show, David Simon, had to say:
“Robert was not only an exceptional actor, he was an essential part of the film and theater community in Baltimore. He could have gone to New York or Los Angeles and commanded a lot more work, but he loved the city as his home and chose to remain here working. He understood so much about his craft that it was no surprise at all that we would go to him to coach our young actors in season four. He was the conduit through which they internalized their remarkable performances.
Robert’s depiction of Proposition Joe was so fixed and complete — from the very earliest scenes — that the writers took for granted that anything we sent him would be finely executed.├óΓé¼┬¥
The saddest part is that it could’ve been avoided — health should be on the forefront of everyone’s minds, and we hope those holding out on getting into shape take things like this into consideration.
You’ll be missed, Robert, your passing was waaaay too soon.
[Image via Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun.]