Spike Lee is mourning his friend and colleague, Thomas Jefferson Byrd this week with a series of touching Instagram posts. The director cast Byrd in several of his movies over the years, and he was heartbroken when Byrd was murdered in Atlanta, Georgia this weekend. Lee is encouraging fans to focus on Byrd’s talent with clips from some of his greatest performances.
Lee was the first to publicly announce Byrd’s passing this weekend, with a eulogy on Instagram. He revealed that Byrd had been murdered, but did not dwell on that tragic ending. Instead, he shared with fans some of his favorite moments from working with Byrd over the years, and seeing him evolve through his performances. Byrd starred in Lee’s movies Chi-Raq, Sweet Blood of Jesus, Red Hook Summer, Bamboozled, He Got Game, Get on the Bus, Girl 6 and Clockers. Lee had plenty to say on all of these performances, even years after the fact.
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Byrd passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning after receiving “multiple gunshot wounds to the back,” an Atlanta Police Department spokesperson told PEOPLE. Byrd was declared dead on the scene, and the shooting is still under investigation. “Homicide detectives responded to the scene and are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. The investigation continues at this time,” police said on Sunday.
Byrd had an illustrious career in theater as well as in movies, having received a master’s degree in dance from CalArts. Fans are celebrating his work and mourning alongside colleagues like Lee. Here is a look at how Lee highlighted Byrd’s triumphs this weekend.
Announcement
Errol Barnes in ‘Clockers’
‘Clockers’
‘Bamboozled’
View this post on InstagramThe Late Great, Our Brother Thomas Jefferson Byrd As “HONEYCUTT” Auditioning In BAMBOOZLED.
Comedic Chops
‘He Got Game’
Fan-Favorites
“Who you suppose to be… mighty mf power ranger… im docking her pay”
— Joshua smith (@unxplndconcpt) October 4, 2020
long live the art created by thomas jefferson byrd, a captivating character actor in spike lee films and famously, the antagonist who helped set the plot of set it off in motion.
— Brandon Caldwell (@_brandoc) October 4, 2020
“IF YOU DON’T WANNA WORK FOR LUTHERS!”
a tragedy he was murdered in atlanta. pic.twitter.com/eU1bdzhJON
Thomas Jefferson Byrd, was an actor in the unofficial repertory company of Spike Lee movies. What Joseph Cotton was to Orson Welles, Byrd was for Spike. The “everyman” character actor. He was a part of the Black Arts Renaissance of Fort Greene in the 80s. pic.twitter.com/oFPMKIKOro
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) October 4, 2020
