It’s been a heck of a two years with so many sudden deaths occurring among seemingly healthy people. From The Wire’s Michael K. Williams to Sex and the City’s Willie Garson, news of celebrity deaths has been non-stop. It’s a soft spot for The MouthSoap because we get sick and tired of reporting the bad news, but it’s the world we live in. And what a sad world it can be.
Recently, news broke that actor Anthony “AJ” Johnson, who has been a part of some of the most respected urban cult classics created, was found unresponsive at a store on Sept. 6. Shortly thereafter, he was declared dead at the age of 55. Johnson was a part of some iconic films that included House Party, Menace II Society, B*A*P*S, How to Be a Player, The Players Club, and I Got the Hook Up.
Yet, even with these impressive credits, nothing resonated more than his role as Ezal in the 1995 film Friday, a story about two friends dealing with the nuances of their South Central L.A. neighborhood on the week-ending day. Although he played a drug addict aimlessly roaming the streets, Johnson made an impression on audiences for his easygoing and comedic spirit — and people wanted more.
Johnson’s three-decade career has been capped by an appearance he made in the 2021 television movie The Way Men Think. It has not been confirmed whether he will still be featured in the upcoming hip hop drama I Want It All, which is currently in pre-production.
As we celebrate his contributions to the world, social media has brought a major observation to our attention. Johnson adds to at least seven other Friday castmates and one crew member that have died since the film’s 1995 debut. See the extensive list of gone-to-soon Friday actors below:
Tommy Lister Jr., also known as the intimidating character Deebo, died at 62 years old on Dec. 10, 2020 of heart disease after testing positive for COVID-19.
The main patriarch of the movie, John Witherspoon, died of a heart attack at the age of 77 on Oct. 29, 2019.
Reynaldo Rey, who played the father of the character Red (DJ Pooh), suffered a stroke and died from complications on May 28, 2015.
Michael Clarke Duncan suddenly passed away on Sept. 3, 2012. He had died in the hospital nearly two months after suffering a heart attack. Friday would be his first feature film, and although uncredited, many people rewatch the film to find him in the role of a craps player.
Yvette Wilson, known for her role as Rita in Friday and Andell in Moesha, unexpectedly died at the age of 48 from cervical cancer on June 14, 2012.
Comedian Bernie Mac shockingly passed away on Aug. 9, 2008 from complications of pneumonia that worsened his lung condition known as sarcoidosis. He was 50 years old.
Longtime veteran actress LaWanda Page, passed away at 81 from a heart attack on Sept. 14, 2002.
Behind the scenes, the Friday production lost film editor John Carter to natural causes at the age of 95 on Aug. 13, 2018.
There’s been hearsay that audiences may be able to revisit the Friday franchise with the upcoming final installment Last Friday. However, with some of the most memorable characters no longer alive and the production of the film taking forever to get going, many fans are left to wonder whether they’ll ever get another Friday movie…with original cast members.
Rest in peace.
