30 Rock’s Grizz Chapman Dead at 52

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A beloved member of the 30 Rock cast has passed away.

I was so saddened to hear about the passing of Grizz Chapman. He was best known as Grizz, the bodyguard, on that sitcom, and he really brought a lot of fun to the show. His publicist, Saideh A. Brown, confirmed he died on May 22nd. He was only 52, and it’s just a shock. He’ll be greatly missed.

Shortly after Angus T. Jones passed away, his cousin, Donte “Hammer” Harrison, a player with the Harlem Globetrotters, shared details about the health problems Jones had been facing.

Harrison shared on Instagram that his father passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 22, 2026, after a long battle with illness and dialysis. He added that he was grateful for the chance to reconnect with his father two months before he died.

Before he passed away, Chapman was very open about his struggle with kidney disease. He received a kidney transplant in 2010 and that same year, began working as a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation.

Harrison also touched on Chapman’s enduring legacy.

Harrison shared that his cousin, Grizz Chapman, faced many difficult challenges with courage and grace throughout his life. While many knew Grizz as the actor from 30 Rock, those close to him remembered a kind, positive person who truly made a difference.

“Rest easy, cousin,” he added. “Your name and legacy will live on forever.”

Chapman is survived by his wife and two children.

Glenn Chapman began his comedy career on 30 Rock after becoming friends with Tracy Morgan. He first met Morgan while working as a bouncer in a New York City nightclub. Eventually, Chapman landed a role as a member of Tracy Jordan’s crew on the show, working alongside Kevin Brown, who played the character Dot Com.

In a 2012 interview with CBR, Chapman explained that people assumed their friendship with Tracy Morgan led to them getting the role. However, Chapman clarified that Tracy Morgan actually helped save their job. Originally, the show had four supporting actors, but NBC told Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan they could only afford to pay for three.

Tracy told us they were only keeping two people, and I was one of them. I’m really proud to have made the cut – I worked very hard to earn my place.

Despite appearing in shows like The Black List and Blue Bloods, films such as Money Monster, and even creating his own YouTube series, Chapman openly discussed how difficult it was to find consistent work in Hollywood.

He explained that he often hears responses like, ‘We’re not sure how to promote you,’ or ‘We already have someone like you.’ But he pushes back, saying, ‘You don’t have anyone like me – a seven-foot-tall, genuinely likeable person. That’s unique.’ He shared this with The Hollywood Reporter in 2012.

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2026-05-23 16:47