Tommy “Tiny” Lister Dies: Menacing Deebo In ‘Friday’ Films & Ex-Wrestler Was 62

Bruce Haring
·1 min read

Tommy “Tiny” Lister Jr., who played the memorable thug Deebo in the Friday and Next Friday films with Ice Cube, has died. He was 62. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the death, but no cause has been determined.

Deputies went to Listers’ home in Marina del Rey, CA, shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday on a wellness check requested by his friends. They entered the home and discovered his body. according to Deputy Grace Medrano of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“Mr. Lister’s death appears to be of natural causes but will ultimately be determined by the Office of Medical Examiner-Coroner,” Medrano told CNS in a statement.

While Lister’s 6-foot-5 frame led to many intimidating roles, he also had a memorable turn as President Lindberg in Luc Besson’s sci-fi action film The Fifth Element and also appeared in The Dark Knight. Altogether, Lister appeared in more than 80 movies.

Before acting, he was a professional wrestler with the WWF, WWE and WCW. He appeared as Zeus and ZGangsta in the sports leagues and played the character in the 1989 film No Holds Barred with Hulk Hogan.

Information on survivors was not immediately available.

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