’30 Rock’ Star Grizz Chapman Dies at 52 Following Years-Long Health Struggles

Actor and comedian Grizz Chapman, best known for his role on the NBC sitcom “30 Rock,” has died at the age of 52.

Chapman died “peacefully in his sleep” on May 22, following years of ongoing health struggles and dialysis, his cousin and Harlem Globetrotter Donte Harrison confirmed in a social media post.

“Life gave my cousin Grizz Chapman some heavy battles, but he fought them with strength and dignity until the very end,” Harrison wrote on May 23 alongside an Instagram photo of the two.

“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.”

“I’m thankful we got time to reconnect 2 months before his passing,” Harrison concluded. “Rest easy, cousin. Your name and legacy will live on forever.”

He is survived by his wife, Diana Chapman, and their two children.

Born in 1974 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City and standing seven feet tall, the actor quickly became a fan favorite through his recurring role on “30 Rock,” where he portrayed a fictionalized version of himself alongside Tracy Morgan’s character.

Outside the show, Chapman appeared in other popular television series including “Blue Bloods,” “The Blacklist,” “Common Sense Police,” and “The Good Fight.”

He also held big screen roles in films including “Money Monster” and “The Cobbler,” where he acted alongside Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi in the 2014 movie. He later created a sketch-comedy project online titled “Grizz Chroniclez,” which showcased his comedic style.

In 2009, Chapman revealed he needed a kidney transplant after being diagnosed with kidney disease two years prior. The condition was linked to years of high blood pressure, a leading cause of kidney disease, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

Despite his health struggles, Chapman continued filming “30 Rock” while undergoing a year of dialysis treatments three days a week in hopes of finding a kidney donor. In 2010, a young fan, Ryan Perkins, volunteered to be Chapman’s donor after learning of his condition and was a match.

“I really had no life before the transplant,” Chapman told the East Valley Tribune in 2011. “I still did the things I had to do, but I really couldn’t plan anything like activities with the kids, basketball practice, or vacations. I couldn’t do anything that wasn’t planned around dialysis.”

“I was living, but life wasn’t fun,” he continued. “I’m grateful and appreciative to Ryan. When I was his age, I wasn’t thinking about giving someone a kidney.”

“How do you ever repay someone for something like that? You can’t. It’s not like borrowing $20 from someone and telling them you’re going to give it back. It’s something that you can never repay someone for.”