Michael Wright, ‘The Five Heartbeats’ Star, Dies at 70

Michael Wright, best known for playing singer Eddie King Jr. in the 1991 film “The Five Heartbeats,” has died at age 70.

Wright died Wednesday in Los Angeles after suffering heart failure and complications from Marchiafava-Bignami disease, a rare degenerative neurological condition, his family told TMZ.

Born in New York City, Wright began acting in the late 1970s. He gained early attention in the 1979 film “The Wanderers” and later appeared in “Streamers,” “The Principal” and the 1994 crime drama “Sugar Hill.”

Wright’s role as Eddie King Jr. in “The Five Heartbeats” became his most recognizable performance. The film follows a fictional R&B group as its members deal with fame, personal struggles and the pressures of the music industry.

His television credits included the science-fiction series “V,” HBO’s prison drama “Oz,” “Miami Vice,” “New York Undercover” and “Black Lightning.” He also appeared in films including “Money Talks” and “The Interpreter.”

Wright’s wife, Susan Wright, described him as an “extraordinary artist whose work touched generations.” She said the family was grieving a deeply personal loss and asked for privacy.

Wright is survived by his wife, daughter and stepchildren.