Actor Grizz Chapman Passes Away at 52
Grizz Chapman, widely recognized for his portrayal of Grizz, the gentle bodyguard to Tracy Jordan in the acclaimed comedy series 30 Rock, has died at the age of 52.
His cousin, Donte Harrison, a Harlem Globetrotter, announced the news on social media on Saturday.
No official cause of death has been disclosed. However, Harrison stated that Chapman passed away in his sleep on Friday, following years of battling illness and undergoing dialysis treatments.
"Life gave my cousin Grizz Chapman some heavy battles, but he fought them with strength and dignity until the very end," Harrison wrote.
Health Challenges and Advocacy
Standing at 2.13 metres (7 feet) tall, Chapman had been diagnosed with kidney disease and served as a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation. During the filming of 30 Rock, he underwent dialysis treatments for a year, attending sessions three days a week, each lasting four hours. In 2010, he received a kidney transplant.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born in Brooklyn in 1974, Chapman first met his future 30 Rock co-star Tracy Morgan while working as a bouncer at a strip club. The two developed a friendship during this time.
Chapman was employed as a bodyguard when he was cast in a commercial, which prompted him to transition into acting. Reflecting on this career change, he said:
"I made $20,000 for 40 minutes of work, so I thought I was in the wrong business at that point and I needed to change."
Despite initially switching careers for financial reasons, Chapman grew to love acting:
"Once I got into acting, I realised it’s more than just standing there. There’s more to it. So I took some acting classes and developed the craft and fell in love with it."
Breakthrough Role on 30 Rock
Chapman's breakout role came in Tina Fey’s comedy 30 Rock, where he played Grizz, the imposing yet gentle bodyguard and one half of the entourage accompanying the unpredictable star Tracy Jordan, portrayed by Morgan.
Chapman credited Morgan for helping him retain his role on the show:
"There were four members of the entourage originally but NBC came to Tina Fey and Tracy and said they couldn’t pay for all four. So Tracy said we’re gonna keep just two guys, which included me. I made the cut. I worked hard to get there. I worked really hard."
He appeared as Grizz in 80 episodes of the beloved series, which aired from 2006 to 2013. Following the show’s conclusion, Chapman faced challenges with typecasting due to his height.
In 2013, he expressed his frustration with limited roles:
"I mean, why can’t a seven-foot guy play a doctor? Why can’t I be a teacher? Why can’t I be a football coach? Why can’t I be a cab driver? Anything. Anything else than that. I can cry. I can do those things that they think the big guys can’t do. So just give us a chance."
Tributes from Co-stars
Kevin Brown, who portrayed Jordan’s other bodyguard Dot Com, paid tribute to Chapman, writing:
"May he RIP."
Chapman’s co-star Judah Friedlander recalled that Chapman was always "getting big laughs at the table reads and on camera," while Maulik Pancholy described him as "so kind, so sweet, and his huge heart brought laughter to so many. I’m grateful we became family over a seven-year run."
Other Acting Work and Legacy
In addition to his work on 30 Rock, Chapman appeared in films and television shows including The Cobbler, Money Monster, Blue Bloods, and The Blacklist.
He is survived by his wife, Diana, and their two children.
