Bill Nunn, who appeared as Radio Raheem in Spike Lee‘s “Do the Right Thing,” died Saturday in Pittsburgh, according to Lee. Nunn was 62.
In addition to “Do the Right Thing,” Nunn also appeared in Lee’s 1988 film “School Daze.”
“My Dear Friend, My Dear Morehouse Brother- Da Great Actor Bill Nunn As Most Of You Know Him As Radio Raheem Passed Away This Morning In His Hometown Of Pittsburgh,” Lee wrote. “Long Live Bill NUNN. RADIO RAHEEM Is Now RESTING IN POWER. RADIO RAHEEM WILL ALWAYS BE FIGHTING DA POWERS DAT BE. MAY GOD WATCH OVER BILL NUNN.”
Lee did not elaborate on the cause of Nunn’s death.
In a subsequent Instagram post, Lee shared a lengthy speech made by Nunn’s Radio Raheem character in “Do the Right Thing”:
Let me tell you the story of Right Hand, Left Hand. It’s a tale of good and evil. Hate! It was with this hand that Cane iced his brother. Love! These five fingers, they go straight to the soul of man. The right hand: the hand of love. The story of life is this: static. One hand is always fighting the other hand, and the left hand is kicking much ass. I mean, it looks like the right hand, Love is finished. But hold on, stop the presses the right hand is coming back. Yeah, he got the left hand on the ropes, now, that’s right. Yea, Boom, it’s a devastating right and Hate is hurt, he’s down. Ooh! Ooh! Left-Hand Hate KOed by Love. If I love you, I love you. But if I hate you…
Born in Pittsburgh in 1953, Nunn graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, also the alma mater of Lee, in 1976.
Nunn was also known for his appearances in Sam Raimi‘s “Spider-Man” trilogy, playing Joseph “Robbie” Robertson and as Lt. Eddie Souther alongside Whoopi Goldberg in “Sister Act.”
Nunn’s decades-long career in film and television included appearaces on “Touched by an Angel,” “Millennium,” “He Got Game” and “Kiss the Girls.”
His most recent role was in the USA Network comedy “Sirens,” about a trio of Chicago EMTs. Nunn played Vietnam veteran Cash on that series, which ran for two seasons.
A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on