‘The Five Heartbeats’ actor Michael Wright dies at 70

Michael Wright — the actor whose performance as Eddie King Jr. in The Five Heartbeats became a defining touchstone of Black cinema — has died. He passed away on Aug. 19, 2026, in Los Angeles. He was 70 years old. His wife, Susan Wright, announced his death in a statement shared on Instagram on August 21.

Wright’s family said he died from heart failure coupled with complications of the rare neurological disease Marchiafava-Bignami.

Born April 30, 1956, in New York City, Wright built a career that spanned more than four decades and more than 50 film and television credits.

He made his screen debut in the 1979 coming‑of‑age drama The Wanderers and earned early acclaim in Robert Altman’s 1983 film Streamers, sharing the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival with the ensemble cast.

But it was The Five Heartbeats — Robert Townsend’s 1991 musical drama about a fictional male singing group — that cemented Wright’s place in Black culture.

“I saw close to 10,000 actors to find the actors to find the actors that I found in that movie,” Townsend said in an interview with The St. Louis American last year. “I tried to get the best actors and get the best performances, and I wanted people to watch over and over again.”

 As Eddie King Jr., the gifted but troubled lead singer whose struggles threatened both his career and his group, Wright delivered a performance that remained instantly recognizable decades after the film’s release.

Wright’s range extended far beyond a single role. He appeared opposite Jim Belushi in The Principal, Wesley Snipes in Sugar Hill, and delivered memorable performances in Money Talks, Piñero, Point Blank, and The Interpreter.

On television, he was known for his work in the 1980s sci‑fi franchise V and for his recurring role as Omar White on HBO’s Oz. He also appeared in Miami Vice, Scrubs, and most recently had an arc on the CW’s Black Lightning.

His final screen credit was the 2025 production Dope King.

In her statement, Susan Wright remembered her husband as “a husband, a father, a grandfather, loved one, a friend, and an extraordinary artist whose work touched generations.” She added that while his talent and contributions would endure, “his love will live even longer in the hearts of those who knew him best.”

Wright often spoke about the craft that shaped his life. “The greatest sin an actor can commit is to fail to be interesting,” he said in a 2021 interview with Sheen Magazine. “I always try to make my characters interesting.”

Wright is survived by his wife, Susan; his children Manon Wright, Byron Barr, Brittney Briggs, Brianna Barr and Sir Barr; and his grandchild, Yoko.

The post ‘The Five Heartbeats’ actor Michael Wright dies at 70 appeared first on St. Louis American.