Grizzwald “Grizz” Chapman, the towering actor beloved by fans of 30 Rock for his recurring role across all seven seasons of the NBC sitcom, has died at the age of 52.
Chapman’s longtime representative Saideh A. Brown confirmed to TMZ that he passed away on Friday, though a cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
His cousin has since claimed on social media that Chapman died in his sleep after years of fighting illness and being on dialysis, a detail that aligns with his longstanding battle with kidney disease, which had led him to become a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation.
He is survived by his wife Diana and their two children.
Born on 16 April 1974 in Brooklyn, Chapman stood seven feet tall, a physical presence that was impossible to miss and became part of his on-screen identity.
The story of how he came to land one of television’s most warmly regarded supporting roles is a good one.
He was working as a bouncer at a strip club when he crossed paths with Tracy Morgan, who was so taken with Chapman and his friend Kevin Brown that he cast them both in 30 Rock as the childhood friends and loyal confidants of his fictionalised alter ego Tracy Jordan.
Chapman appeared in 80 episodes of the show across its run from 2006 to 2013, becoming a fan favourite in a cast that also included Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and Jane Krakowski.
Beyond 30 Rock, Chapman had guest roles in Blue Bloods, The Blacklist and The Good Fight, and created his own YouTube series, Grizz Chronicles.
He was, by every account, someone who made the most of every opportunity that came his way, from strip club bouncer to network television institution in the space of a career that deserved to run considerably longer.
