Comedian and actor Anthony Johnson died at 55 years old in September 2021. Based on the medical examiner’s report, his widow Lexis tells TMZ that Johnson’s death was from too many years of hard drinking. TMZ reports that Johnson’s obituary lists “chronic ethanol use” as the cause of death, noting Johnson’s was a natural death. No traces of drugs or alcohol appeared on Johnson’s toxicology test, though he had recently tested positive COVID-19. Lexis tells TMZ she plans to set up a foundation in his name and wants Johnson’s cause of death to be public knowledge to warn others going down the same path.
In September, Johnson, who played Ezal in the film Friday and appeared in House Party, was found in a Los Angeles area store. “We lost an icon. He will be greatly missed,” Johnson’s representative, LyNea Bell, told The Hollywood Reporter after Johnson’s death. Johnson’s nephew told TMZ at the time that Johnson “was found lifeless in a store earlier this month in Los Angeles and rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.”
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Johnson, sometimes credited as “A.J. Johnson,” had roles in Menace II Society, B*A*P*S, How to Be a Player, Hot Boyz, Lethal Weapon 3, and the I Got the Hook-Up movies. His television credits included roles on Martin, The Bold and the Beautiful, Def Comedy Jam, South Central, The Parent ‘Hood, Moesha, The Jamie Foxx Show, and Malcolm & Eddie. He also appeared in music videos, including Dr. Dre’s “Dre Day” video in 1992 the 1993 music video for “Real Muthaphuckkin G’s.”
Johnson hailed from Compton, California, and he worked as a stand-up comedian until his big break in 1990 playing E.Z.E. in Kid ‘n Play’s House Party. He reprised the role in the film’s second sequel, House Party 3. but Johnson was likely best known for playing Ezal in the 1995 stoner comedy Friday, acting opposite stars Chris Tucker and Ice Cube.
At the time of Johnson’s death, musician Michael Christmas tweeted out, “RIP AJ Johnson dawg that man made me laugh so many times in my life. I think my sleeper favorite role is the ex-con catering service in house party 3.” Music producer Swift D tweeted out that Johnson was “Hands down one of the funniest dudes EVER.”
