Michael Wright, Star of 'The Five Heartbeats' and 'V,' Dies at 70
Michael Wright, the actor known for playing troubled lead singer Eddie King Jr. in Robert Townsend's 1991 musical drama "The Five Heartbeats," has died at 70.
Wright's wife, Susan Wright, announced his death in a statement shared on Instagram Friday evening, writing, "It is with profound sadness and an unimaginable heaviness in my heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Michael Wright." According to a statement provided to TMZ, Wright's family said he died Wednesday, Aug. 19, in Los Angeles from heart failure coupled with complications of Marchiafava-Bignami disease, a rare degenerative neurological disorder.
A Career Spanning Nearly Five Decades
Born April 30, 1956, in New York City, Wright made his film debut in the 1979 coming-of-age drama "The Wanderers." He went on to appear in Robert Altman's 1983 Vietnam War drama "Streamers," for which the film's ensemble cast shared the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival.
Wright's breakout television role came in the 1983 miniseries "V," in which he played Resistance fighter Elias Taylor, a part he reprised in the 1984 follow-up "V: The Final Battle" and in the subsequent television series. He later starred as Omar White, a troubled inmate, across 22 episodes of HBO's "Oz" between 2001 and 2003, and played Raynathan Skuggs opposite Wesley Snipes in the 1994 film "Sugar Hill." His other film credits included "The Principal," alongside Jim Belushi and Louis Gossett Jr., as well as "Money Talks," "Point Blank" and "The Interpreter."
Wright's most enduring role came as Eddie King Jr. in "The Five Heartbeats," Townsend's musical drama about a fictional Motown-inspired group, in which his character's talent as a singer is undercut by his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. In a 2021 interview with Sheen Magazine, Wright revealed the role had originally been written with Denzel Washington in mind, but that a chance meeting with Townsend at his mother's restaurant led the director to cast him instead. According to IMDb, Wright's final screen role came in 2025's "Dope King."
Family Remembers Him as an 'Extraordinary Artist'
In her statement, Susan Wright described her husband as "a husband, a father (Manon Wright, Byron Barr, Brittney Briggs, Brianna Barr, Sir Barr), a grandfather (Yoko), loved one, a friend, and an extraordinary artist whose work touched generations." She added, "Many knew and loved him through 'The Five Heartbeats,' 'The Wanderers,' 'V,' 'The Principal,' 'Streamers,' and the many other characters he brought to life throughout his remarkable career."
She continued, "Our family is grieving an enormous and deeply personal loss. We understand how much Michael meant to so many people, and we are grateful for the love, prayers, memories," and said the family would share additional details about his life and legacy in the coming days.
Susan closed her tribute by writing, "Michael, your work will live forever, but your love will live even longer in the hearts of those who knew you best. Rest peacefully, my love. You will be missed beyond words."
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