A beloved member of the 30 Rock cast has passed away.
Grizz Chapman, best known for his role as bodyguard Grizz in the sitcom, died on May 22, his rep Saideh A. Brown confirmed to TMZ. He was 52.
Hours after his death, Chapman’s cousin Harlem Globetrotter Donte “Hammer” Harrison shed light on the actor’s health struggles at the time of his passing.
“After years of fighting illness and dialysis, he passed peacefully in his sleep on May 22nd, 2026,” Harrison wrote on Instagram alongside a throwback photo of the pair. “I’m thankful we got time to reconnect 2 months before his passing.”
Before his death, Chapman spoke openly about his health battle with kidney disease, which led to him getting a kidney transplant in 2010. That same year, he became a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation.
Harrison also touched on Chapman’s enduring legacy.
“Life gave my cousin Grizz Chapman some heavy battles, but he fought them with strength and dignity until the very end,” Harrison wrote. “A lot of people knew him as the sitcom star from 30 Rock, but we knew the man behind the screen. A good heart, good energy, and somebody who made an impact in this life.”
