“30 Rock” actor Griz Chapman battled health issues before his death at age 52.
The actor was “just struggling to stay alive” while facing various medical conditions, manager Lenny Glicker told TMZ on Saturday.
Glicker told the outlet that Chapman needed another kidney transplant after receiving one in 2010, but because he was 7 feet tall, finding a recipient was difficult. The cause of his death has not been determined, but Glicker told the outlet there were “many contributing factors.”
Page Six reached out to Glicker for further comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
News of the beloved actor’s passing broke on Friday, with his longtime agent Saide A. Brown confirming his death to TMZ.
He is survived by his wife and two children, who are said to be “devastated” following his death on Friday.
Chapman’s cousin, Donte “Hammer” Harrison of the Harlem Globetrotters, shared details of Chapman’s later years on social media.
“My cousin Griz Chapman went through some tough battles in his life, but he fought with strength and dignity until the end,” Harrison wrote, along with a photo of him and Chapman on a basketball court.
“A lot of people knew him as the sitcom star on ’30 Rock,’ but we all knew the man behind the screen: a good heart, good energy, and someone who made an impact on this life.”
Harrison said Friday that her cousin “passed away peacefully in his sleep” “after many years of illness and dialysis.”
The athlete ended his post with this:
Don’t worry, cousin. Your name and legacy will last forever. ”
Chapman is best known for his role as Griz Griswold on the Emmy Award-winning comedy series “30 Rock,” co-starring Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan.
He appeared on the NBC show from 2006 to 2013.
Although Chapman experienced high-profile success in Hollywood, he once said that his unusual height sometimes limited his opportunities and he also encountered major setbacks.
“I mean, why can’t a 7-foot-tall guy play a doctor?” he asked The Hollywood Reporter in 2012.
He continued, “Why can’t I be a teacher? Why can’t I be a football coach? Why can’t I be a taxi driver? Anything. Anything else. I can cry. I can do things that people think big people can’t do. So give us a chance.”
