Ice Cube has been paying tribute to his lateFridayco-star Tommy “Tiny” Lister in a series of posts on social media. On Thursday,Tiny Lister passed awayat his home in California at the age of 62. The news was very shocking and saddening for fans and colleagues of the actor, and among those who were most devastated is Cube, who had gotten to know Lister very well through their work together on twoFridaymovies.
“RIPTiny ‘Deebo’ Lister,” Cube posted on the day of Lister’s passing. “America’s favorite bully was a born entertainer who would pop into character at the drop of a hat terrifying people on and off camera. Followed by a big smile and laugh. Thank you for being a good dude at heart. I miss you already.”
The next day,Ice Cubeposted an amazing portrait by artist Manasseh Johnson of Lister looking larger than life, as many would say he that he was.
Cube followed this up by tweeting artwork created by Bomster Foo of Lister in the clouds alongside the late John Witherspoon, who co-starred with Cube and Lister as Pops in theFridaymovies. “Appreciate your work,” Cube told the artist.
As Cube continues tomourn the lossof Lister, he also posted a photo of himself alongside Lister and Witherspoon. “Back stage at the Forum in Inglewood with Tiny, Pops and Big Tom. This was a sad Friday,” Cube noted.
When Witherspoon passed away in October of 2019, Cube similarly honored the actor. He posthumously apologized to Witherspoon for failing to get a fourthFridaymovie made, despite his best efforts.
“I really apologize to my friend for not getting the next Friday movie made. It’s not my fault,” Cube said. “We were trying to make that movie for years and we couldn’t get it done. We got the other three and we got our memories and we got our love. My condolences to the family.”
Lister was a veteran actor with decades worth of acting roles under his belt, though he may be best known for playing the neighborhood bully Deebo inFriday, a role he reprised in the sequelNext Friday. Wrestling fans will also remember Lister as Zeus battling Hulk Hogan in the 1989 wrestling movieNo Holds Barred, which led to Lister actually wrestling as Zeus against Hogan in the World Wrestling Federation in real life. Some of Lister’s other most famous roles include playing President Lindberg inThe Fifth Element; the Klingon Klaang inStar Trek: Enterprise; the boat prisoner inThe Dark Knight; Nicky’s older brother inLittle Nicky; and a bail agent in Quentin Tarantino’sJackie Brown. He also voiced the animated fox Finnick in the Disney movieZootopia.
Undeniably, Lister was a one-of-a-kind actor, and he will always be remembered by those who’ve seen his performances. By all accounts, he appears to have been a wonderful person behind the scenes as well, despite the dastardly characters he sometimes portrayed. May he rest in peace. This news comes to us fromIce Cube on Twitter.
