Who was Anthony Johnson? Tributes pour in as actor best known as Ezal from 'Friday' dies at 55

Anthony Johnson recently passed away at the age of 55. (Image via GetUpErica and Demaru84/Twitter)
Anthony Johnson recently passed away at the age of 55. (Image via GetUpErica and Demaru84/Twitter)

Well-known actor Anthony Johnson recently passed away at the age of 55. In an interview with TMZ, his nephew said he was found dead in a Los Angeles store earlier this month and taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead.

The cause of death has not been revealed until now. Official statements from friends and family members are still awaited.


Fans pay tribute as Anthony Johnson passes away at age 55

Fans paid tribute to the actor on Twitter as soon as the news broke.

Anthony Johnson was a part of several hit films. Rumors say he had planned to make his appearance again in the fourth and final film of the Friday franchise, Last Friday.


Anthony Johnson in brief: Career, personal life, net worth and more

Born on May 5, 1965, Anthony “AJ” Johnson was a popular actor and comedian. He was famous for his role as Ezal on Friday.

He was born in Compton, California, and made his acting debut when he was in his 20s. He was seen as E.Z.E. in House Party in 1990. Following this, he began doing stand-up shows in Los Angeles bars.

Johnson played the role of a drug dealer in Lethal Weapon 3 and Menace II Society. His big break was his appearance as Ezal in the 1995 comedy, Friday.

Actor and comedian Anthony Johnson. (Image via MIZZ_BBW227 and MrBlakeGreen/Twitter)
Actor and comedian Anthony Johnson. (Image via MIZZ_BBW227 and MrBlakeGreen/Twitter)

He was then seen in other films like Panther, The Players Club, I Got The Hook-Up, and more.

Anthony Johnson also appeared in the episodes of shows like The Bold and the Beautiful, Moesha, Malcolm & Eddie, The Jamie Foxx Show, and more.

He was featured in various music videos. He was seen as a parody character of Easy-E, Sleazy-E in Dr. Dre’s Dre Day in 1992 and reprised the role in Real Muthaphuckkin G’s in 1993.

youtube-cover

Johnson's current net worth is estimated to be around $100,000, according to the Celebrity Net Worth database. The comedian once suffered a heart attack in 2009 while being on the way to a comedy show but survived.

Anthony Johnson is not active on social media. Apart from that, details related to his personal life remain a mystery, although he was reportedly single. The actor’s father was a stuntman and founder of the Black Stuntmen’s Association.