By Dani Craftworks
(Gif from Tenor)
For this Memorable Monday, I wanted to talk about someone who I heard about passing away back in August, on 101.5 the Vibe, the Soul of the Bay. When I was heading to work around six in the morning. When they named the movie that he was notably in called The Five Heartbeats, I was like, “Let me look this person up”. While doing research on Wright, I was going to watch the movie, The Five Heartbeats, but saw that I had to pay. So, you can let me know in the comment section as to where to watch The Five Heartbeats. While searching up more about him, I saw that he played the antagonist character Lazarus Prime in Black Lightning. I was surprised to find out that he was a character I saw back in the 20 teens, and back when I was a child when my mom watched The Five Heartbeats, back when I was a toddler or little girl. So enough about me, let’s talk about the man himself; Michael Wright.
A “Very” Brief History About Michael Wright
Michael Wright was born on April 30, 1956, in New York City (Unknown, 2026). He graduated from the New Lincoln School (Unknown, 2026). Wright entered the professional stage, by 1978.
The List of Movies and Shows Wright were in
| The Wanderers | Clinton | 1979 |
| NBC science fiction miniseries V | Elias Taylor | 1983 |
| Streamers | 1983 | |
| V The Final Battle | Elias Taylor | 1984 |
| V: The Series | Elias Taylor | 1984 |
| The Principal | 1987 | |
| The Five Heartbeats | Eddie King Jr. | 1991 |
| Sugar Hill | 1994 | |
| Miami Vice: Duty and Honor | “The Savage” | 1997 |
| Money Talks | Aaron | 1997 |
| HBO series Oz | Omar White | 2001-2003 |
| New York Undercover | ||
| The Interpreter | 2005 | |
| Black Lightning | Lazarus Prime | 2019 |
(Unknown, 2026)
On August 21, 2026, Wright’s wife Susan Wright, confirmed the news on her husband’s passing, by sharing a heartfelt tribute that highlighted both his artistic legacy and the deep personal bonds he shared with those closest to him (Stalwart, 2026). The cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, and the family has asked for privacy during this difficult time (Stalwart, 2026). She confirmed his death in an Instagram post late Friday (Goodridge, 2026). Wright maintained a relatively private personal life despite decades in the public eye (Stalwart, 2026).
Wirght leaves behind his wife, Susan Wright, his five children, and his grandchild; who Susan Wright underscored as the importance of the family in Michael Wright’s life (Stalwart, 2026).
Why was Michael Wright so Memorable?
Wright was important in my life, because of how he portrayed certain characters who are going through some sort of pain and give off a strong dynamic performance that leads the audience to remember that moment in the films or series in the future. His characters in The Five Heartbeats and Black Lightning are the more notable examples of the character. Well researching on Wright, it was a bit difficult finding more information about him, until an article showed that he lived a very private life. I can respect someone like that, I guess I have that personality where I like to keep my personal life a secret, because I do not want everyone to know every little detail in my life and I just want to go about my day like I’m a regular person and still be able to do regular things in life. If the family feels comfortable letting the world know how he passed, they’ll let us know. For now, let Michael Wright’s family grieve and give them the space to do so. Rest in Peace, Michael Wright.
(Gif from Tenor)
I just wanted to add this gif, because I remembered that scene when I was younger, and I thought it was funny.
Works Cited
Goodridge, H. (2026, August 22). ‘The Five Heartbeats’ actor Michael Wright dies at 70. Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/five-heartbeats-actor-michael-wright-152220052.html: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/five-heartbeats-actor-michael-wright-152220052.html
Stalwart, P. (2026, August 22). Remembering Michael Wright: The Private Man Behind the Iconic Roles. Retrieved from CID: Celebs In-Depth: https://celebsindepth.com/michael-wright-wife-susan-wright/
Unknown. (2026). Michael Wright (actor). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Wright_(actor)
