The Devastating Death Of Friday Star Anthony Johnson

Anthony Johnson, an actor best known for his roles in "House Party," "Menace II Society," and "Friday," died on September 20, 2021 at the age of 56. He's survived by his children and wife. No details were immediately available regarding the cause of death.

His rep, LyNea Bell, released the following statement to The Hollywood Reporter following the devastating news: "We lost an icon. He will be greatly missed. We are praying for all those that were touched by his comedy, acting, but most of all his life. We are especially praying for his beloved wife, children, siblings and manager. Please give them the time they need to process and grieve such a huge loss."

With his roles in some of the most iconic comedies of the last several decades, as well as his stand-up routine, Johnson made countless people laugh over the years. Upon news of his death, fans swarmed social media to share their memories and grief, and we'd like to do the same.

Anthony Johnson, who would sometimes be credited as A.J. Johnson, was born in Compton, California on May 5, 1965. His father, who worked as a stuntman, founded the Black Stuntmen's Association, a breakthrough organization for better representation in Hollywood projects. Johnson ended up following on a similar career trajectory, doing stand-up comedy in his 20s, soon venturing toward film and television roles.

His biggest role was Ezal in 1995's "Friday," but he also had parts in "Lethal Weapon 3," "Moesha," and "The Jamie Foxx Show." Upon news of his death, sympathies from his co-stars began pouring in, including his "Friday" co-star Ice Cube, who took to Twitter to write, "Sad to wake up to the news about AJ Johnson passing away. Naturally funny dude who was straight outta Compton at the same time. Sorry I couldn't bring your character Ezal back to the big screen in Last Friday..." Fellow actor and comedian Michael Blackson also chimed in with his condolences: "This one hurts, I was very close to this guy. Rest well AJ Johnson."

Johnson was well-loved in the industry. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and fans at this time.