Comedian, writer and actor dies at 28 – The Hollywood Reporter

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Jak Knight, comedian, actor and writer who recently co-created the Peacock series bust down, is dead. He was 28 years old.

Knight died Thursday evening in Los Angeles, his family announced through an agency representative. Additional details, including the cause of death, are not being released at this time. “Knight’s loved ones ask that their privacy be respected during this extremely difficult time,” the rep said.

Knight’s career was not only in the right place, but his star was on the rise. After writing for a series of hit shows – from Netflix’s critically acclaimed steamy comedy Big mouth to ABC’s beloved Blackish – Knight moved on to co-create, executive produce and star in the new series Peacock bust down.

Starring his team of co-creators Chris Redd, Sam Jay and Langston Kerman, the show follows a group of friends working low-wage jobs at a casino in Gary, Indiana. bust down debuted in March. Still with Jay, Knight worked on the HBO series Break with Sam Jay as an actor, co-executive producer and writer.

Seattle-born, Los Angeles-based Knight recently wrapped filming Chelsea Peretti’s feature debut, Director for the first time. He frequently toured with his stand-up act around the world and appeared in a half-hour Netflix special that aired in 2018 as part of comedy programming series.

In a 2018 interview with RespectKnight said he got his first job in the industry as an animation writer. Lucas Bros Moving Co. when he was almost 20 years old. Co-creators and identical twin brothers Keith and Kenneth Lucas “heard about me from someone, I don’t know who, and they said, ‘Yeah, come hang out with us, come smoke,'” Knight recalled .

Riffing on the sitcom sister, sister, Knight suggested that there was a third sister who was left out and turned evil. The Lucas brothers were impressed enough to ask him to join their show. “I was like, yeah, and that’s it.”

Knight credited stand-up legend Dave Chappelle and the animation Bled for inspiring his comedy career. “One hundred percent of the reasons why I do what I do,” he said. He would eventually open for Chappelle on tour, one of many stand-up bands he joined on various stages, including Joel McHale, Eric Andre, Moshe Kasher and Aziz Ansari.

In the same interview, he opened up about the experience of not only writing for Big mouth but voicing DeVon’s character. “Being a writer is amazing and just being in the room with some of the brightest people in the world, and I get to sit across the table with people like Jordan Peele and Maya Rudolph,” he said. he declares. “It’s surreal but it’s a lot of work, work.”

His death came as a shock to the comedy community, with many insiders expressing their grief and disbelief on Friday. “We are devastated by the passing of Jak Knight,” read a joint statement from Knight’s bust down Peacock family and Universal Television. “He was a brilliant comedian, visionary and entertainer and we were all blessed to experience his greatness. Our hearts are with Jak’s family, friends and community during this heartbreaking time.”

Comedy Central, which named Knight a comic to watch, posted a tribute on its official Twitter account, calling him “a hysterical, honest comedian.” He will be greatly missed. Music producer, DJ and rapper Steven Ellison, better known by his stage name Flying Lotus or FlyLo, called Knight “unabashedly bold and hilarious”.

“A phenomenon” job Eddie Della Siepe. “Incredible talent and above all a great guy.”

More soon.

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