Grizz Chapman, best known for his role as bodyguard Grizz in the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, died on May 22. He was 52. His rep Saideh A. Brown confirmed the death to TMZ.
Chapman's cousin, Harlem Globetrotter Donte "Hammer" Harrison, revealed the circumstances in an Instagram post hours after his death. "After years of fighting illness and dialysis, he passed peacefully in his sleep on May 22nd, 2026," Harrison wrote, sharing a throwback photo of the pair. "I'm thankful we got time to reconnect 2 months before his passing."
Chapman had battled kidney disease for years. In 2010, he underwent a kidney transplant and became a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation.
Harrison's tribute described Chapman's character. "Life gave my cousin Grizz Chapman some heavy battles, but he fought them with strength and dignity until the very end," he 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."
Chapman met costar Tracy Morgan while working as a bouncer at a New York nightclub. The friendship led to his casting on 30 Rock. Chapman said he earned the role through work. "I worked hard to get the part," he told CBR in 2012, noting that Tracy advocated to keep him in the role when NBC wanted to cut the entourage down to two members.
Chapman appeared in The Blacklist, Blue Bloods, and films including Money Monster. He was open about challenges in Hollywood. "I get a lot of the time, 'We don't know how to market you' or 'you're too big,'" he told The Hollywood Reporter. "But you don't have one of me already; you don't have a seven foot, lovable guy."
Chapman is survived by his wife and two children.
