John Witherspoon, the comedic actor best known for his roles in the Friday movies and The Boondocks TV series, has died at the age of 77. Details about his death are still coming to light (at the time of writing this), but his Family has issued a statement to the press, in which they indicate that Witherspoon passed away at his home in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, and that his death was very much unexpected. In fact, many fans of Witherspoon were excited for the actor’s upcoming slate of performances, which included a reboot of The Boondocks which is set to debut on the HBO Max Streaming Service.

Here is the statement that was issued by Witherspoon’s family:

“It is with deepest sorrow that we can confirm our beloved husband and father, John Witherspoon, one of the hardest working men in show business, died today at his home in Sherman Oaks at the age of 77,” Witherspoon’s family said in a statement to Deadline. “He is survived by his wife Angela, and his sons JD, Alexander, and a large family. We are all in shock, please give us a minute for a moment in privacy and we will celebrate his life and his work together. John used to say ‘I’m no big deal’, but he was huge deal to us.”

RIP John Witherspoon, AKA “Pops”. We extended our condolences to his family, friends, and many fans.