'Friday' Actor Anthony Johnson's Cause of Death Revealed

By Allison Schonter

Anthony Johnson, the comedian known for roles in Friday and House Party, died as a result of years of heavy drinking. In the actor's autopsy report released five months after his death at the age of 55, and obtained by TMZ, the medical examiner ruled Johnson's cause of death as "chronic ethanol use," also ruling his manner of death as accidental. The report also noted that there was no alcohol or common drugs of abuse found in Johnson's system at the time of his passing. The coroner's office also found that Johnson tested positive for COVID-19, though signs of pneumonia were not detected.

The release of Johnson's cause of death followed the September news that the comedian was found unresponsive and "lifeless" in a store in Los Angeles. The actor's nephew told TMZ at the time that Johnson was "rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead." The actor's representatives separately confirmed his passing to The Wrap, though his cause of death was not released at the time. According to the most recent update, it was Johnson's widow, Lexis, who first told the medical examiner about her husband's alcohol abuse.

Amid the release of the autopsy report, Lexis told TMZ that she wanted her husband's cause of death to be known in the hopes of helping others who may be struggling with alcohol abuse. Lexis, who said she has close friends who have lost loved ones due to alcohol, said she wants Johnson's passing to serve as a warning to others about the lethal effects of alcohol and wants her husband's legacy "to inspire others to put the bottle down." Since his passing, Lexis revealed that she has been volunteering at church to talk to youth about the dangers of alcohol, something she said is now her mission.

Born in Compton, California, in 1965, Johnson got his start in show business in 1982. However, it was not until eight years later in 1990 that he got his big break when he landed the role of E.Z.E. in House Party. He went on to perform stand-up across L.A. while also appearing in titles like Lethal Weapon 3 and Menace II Society before ultimately landing his breakout role as Ezal in the 1995 comedy Friday opposite Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. The film was a commercial hit and grossed $27 million at the box office worldwide. Johnson's other film credits include House Party 3, How to Be a Player, I Got the Hook Up, Hot Boyz, and I Got the Hook Up 2. He also had a number of TV credits to his name, including The Bold and the Beautiful, Martin, Def Comedy Jam, South Central, The Parent 'Hood, Moesha, Malcolm & Eddie, and The Jamie Foxx Show.

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