“8 Mile” Actor Commits Suicide, Co-Star Omar Benson Miller Reacts

 •  XXL Magazine  •  by XXL Staff  •  19 Comments

De’Angelo Wilson, known for his role as Eminem’s friend “DJ Izm” in 8 Mile, was found dead in Los Angeles late last month.

According to Ohio’s Dayton Daily News, Wilson took his own life by hanging himself on November 26th, the day before Thanksgiving.

The actor, who also starred in Denzel Washington’s film Antwone Fisher, was apparently going through a tough time, and had not worked in over 2 years.

A local hero in Dayton, Wilson was awarded the keys to the city and had a day named after him back in 2002 for pursuing his dreams of acting and overcoming the obstacles of poverty and the foster care system.

XXLMag.com caught up with Wilson’s 8 Mile co-star and good friend, Omar Benson Miller, to find out his reaction to the surprising news. “It’s a tragedy,” Miller told XXL. “He was a very positive individual, always trying to make better of his childhood.”

“[I guess] he [just] thought this was a better option,” Miller said when asked why he thinks Wilson decided to commit suicide.

Denzel Washington’s production company, Mundy Lane Entertainment, is currently in the process of putting together a memorial service for Wilson.-Jesse Gissen

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  • Big Perm

    Isn’t he in that NBA Live commercial??

  • Vicious Seiger

    It’s a tragedy anytime someone is in so much pain mentally or physically that the idea of ending one’s own life seems like the best or only option. I remember him in the movie and I know that hollywood doesn’t have a huge love affair with minorities [Why else do you think we see the same 20 black actors in big or low budget mainstream films?] Despite the example of an actor such as Will Smith generating huge revenue worldwide and having record breaking openings, Hollywood has still grudging given few if not fewer opportunities to minorities to produce entertainment that is truly depictive of the whole black [or hispanic, asian, arabic & etc] experience. Every black man didn’t grow up in the ghetto in the middle of a beirut like warzone. Every Indian Man isn’t a doctor or cab driver. Every Hispanic Man isn’t a ex or current gang member. This might be besides the point but Hollywood is hard to break into for anybody but even harder for us. It’s a shame that Wilson couldn’t let go of his dream and switch gears but who is it easy for? Hopefully in the next 20 years more minorities will obtain more positions of power in the Hollywood Machine and create more opportunies for aspiring writers, directors, producers, actors and actresses. De Angelo, rest in peace many of us can feel your pain and anguish.

    • Manny78d

      co-sign…RIP De Angelo

  • Trickdd

    I don’t think Hollywood has a problem with minorities its hard to become a actor period it has nothing to do with where your from are what color you are. you gotta also think like this movies do have scripts and the mane character might fit the part a little better if he was black are white

    • monique

      do you live in america? are you black? if you are you gotta be feelin what vicious wrote. its all true.

    • http://yahoo.com BlackWallin

      i agree with trickd its doesnt matter color wise there are so many movies with minorities denzel,will smith, jamie foxx, 50 cent, the game, tyrese,nas, dmx,ice cube. methodman, forest wittaker. laurence fishborne,samuel jackson, eddie murphy, chris rock, martin lawerence, sydney poitier amd theres plent more i could name off

  • Enlightened

    @Trickdd,

    You have to look at it realistically. Hollywood does have a problem with minorities as far as casting them in movies. But it’s not really personal. As a film student I found out the business side and THE MAJORITY of America still does not want to see BLACK movies or LATINO movies.

    Therefore, budget wise and business wise, it doesn’t make sense. Witness that new Cadillac Records movie coming in at Number 9 this week in it’s first week. Number 9?! With the cast they have.

    Spike Lee has been trying to get a Jackie Robinson and a Sammy Davis Jr. movie made. Hollywood won’t finance it. You’d think by now he could make what he wants, but that’s not the case.

    True: it’s hard to become an actor, but there are way fewer roles for Black actors.

    Did you ever notice how nine times out of ten, Denzel Washington has a Latino woman or something other than Black as his girlfriend lately?
    Well they explain that if you give Denzel a Black girlfriend of wife then that makes it a “BLACK” movie, and once again, majority of America is not trying to see that.

  • http://pimpinpens.blogspot.com enzo

    that sucks. RIP

  • DJ NOFS

    Hollywood isnt a public entity, therefore whoever is involved can do whatever they want pretty much. They dont have to comply to race quotas.

    We have a black president, big whoop. Racism in this country still exists and will continue to exist.

  • capcobra

    on some real shit……suicide is like popping up at GOD crib unexpectedly but expecting to get in…it just ain’t gon happen champ…….GOD looking like “who you? and wtf you doing here?”…….so remember that if you plan on killing ya’self.

    • Mark_Man

      LOL thats some real ish right there

      but this is sad, really sad, r.i.p

  • JCITYHUSTLA617

    WHO??????????????…………

  • iLL_wiLL

    he also played the gay guy in that movie about the hair salon, the one that was like a rip off of Barber Shop. I remember watchin it and thinkin “yo thats dude from 8-mile, wtf is he gay?” only cus he did such a good job of actin like a fag fa real i remember sayin “damn he’s a good actor cus I swear i thought he was gay but in 8-mile he plays a normal dude” so RIP to this cat.

  • http://www.rapaveli.com Ambition-1

    Damn rest in peace homie. i aint even joking when I say that times are gettin hard when black people start commitin suicide!

    http://www.rapaveli.com

  • http://xxlmag.com $hawty Reg

    Co-sign Ambition-1….

    The Real CIRCLE Entertainment…..Google Us!!

  • Curtis75Black

    ILL_WILL, I saw that movie also and it just dawned to me that he was that gay cat getting harrased as he was walking back to the shop lol !! He was a good actor. RIP. Sometimes the opportunities are not as prevalent but that’s why there’s a grind.

  • sb

    we need more tyler perry’s….bottom line…he has good scripts and he has created a following and his movies seem to do well

  • iliveonce

    It’s defineely hard living in America as a BLACK PERSON ESPECIALLY AS A BLACK MALE!!

    watch Barack Obama’s speech to the national congressional black caucus on YOUTUBE.

    YOUR NEW PRESIDENT EVEN SAID IT!! WHATCH IT!!

    hE’S THE PRESIDENT ELECT AND HE SAID IT!!

    BUT SUICIDE IS NEVER AN OPTION. COMMITTING SUICIDE IS WEAK AND SELFISH. iT’S THE PUSSY WAY OUT. i’M SORRY THT DUDE DID THAT. YOU KNOW WHAT’S REALLY FUCKED UP. bLACK PEOPLE NEVER USED TO COMMIT SUICIDE AT ALL BECAUSE WE ARE ACCUSTOME TO LIVING IN HARD CONDITIONS. wHITE PEOPLE DID THAT WEAK SHIT….

    bARACK JUST BECAME OUR NEW PRESIDENT ELECT AND DUDE CAN’T SEE THAT AS THAT.

    lOOK I JUST GOT LAID OFF FROM WORK AND I HAVE A BABT ON THE WAY…. SO I’M GET OFF THIS AND CONTINUE POSTING MY RESUME ON SOME OTHER EMPLOYMENT SITES….

    lATER FOR THIS SHIT!!
    pEACE!!

  • ILIVONCE

    EXCUSE THE TYPO’S. iT’S NOT A FUCKING ESSAY SO I DON’T REALLY CARE TO CORRECT IT.
    ERRORS AT 60 WORDS PER MINUTE . WHAT WHAT !!
    BACK TO WORK, WHICH IS LOOKING FOR WORK.