Actor Michael Wright, known for ‘The Five Heartbeats,’ dies at 70

Michael Wright, known for the film “The Five Heartbeats” and the TV series “V,” has died at 70, his wife announced.

“It is with profound sadness and an unimaginable heaviness in my heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Michael Wright,” his wife, Susan Wright, said in a statement Friday.

He died Wednesday at UCI Medical Center in California with his wife and their children by his side, his wife told NBC News.

Wright died peacefully following complications from Marchiafava- Bignami disease, a rare degenerative neurological condition he was diagnosed with in 2015, and complications from heart failure, the family said.

Susan Wright remembered him as a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend and “an extraordinary artist whose work touched generations.”

“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 said. “His talent, presence, and contributions to film and television will live on, but to those of us who loved him personally, he was so much more than the roles the world knew him for.”

The family asked for privacy and said further details on plans to honor the actor would be shared in the coming days. “We understand how much Michael meant to so many people, and we are grateful for the love, prayers, memories, and condolences already being shared,” Susan Wright said.

“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,” his wife wrote.

Born in New York City, Wright made his screen debut in 1979 in “The Wanderers,” about a teenage gang in the Bronx. He starred in the 1983 film “Streamers,” for which he and the rest of the ensemble cast shared the best actor award at that year’s Venice Film Festival.

He rose to fame in the 1980s playing resistance fighter Elias Taylor in the sci-fi series “V,” and later took on the role of inmate Omar White in HBO’s gritty prison drama “Oz” in the early 2000s. He remains best known, however, for playing Eddie King Jr. in the 1991 musical drama “The Five Heartbeats,” according to his IMDb profile .

Tributes poured in for Wright over the weekend, highlighting his masterful performances playing often wounded, complex characters.

The Critics Choice Awards shared a clip of his formidable performance in “The Five Heartbeats,” writing: “Rest in peace, Michael Wright.”

Kirk Acevedo, who starred with Wright in “Oz,” wrote on X : “Mike was mesmerizing when he was on screen, his intensity, honesty, and of course that voice! A gifted man!”

Radio personality Donnie Simpson on X expressed condolences to Wright’s family, friends and fans.

“We’ve lost another brother. So sad to hear of this loss,” Simpson wrote. “Michael Wright gave us so many iconic performances from the culture classic The Five Heartbeats to Sugar Hill. What a talent!”

Wright is survived by Susan Wright; his daughter, Manon Wright; and his stepchildren, Byron, Brittney, Brea and Sir Barr.