Lister, best known for his roles in The Dark Knight and the Friday film series, .
While he had not tested positive for the novel coronavirus prior to his death, Lister died on Dec. 10 after exhibiting "COVID symptoms" for a week, his manager Cindy Cowan told PEOPLE. "He was a gentle giant and one-of-a-kind," she said. "A man that's like been a brother to me for 20 years." Mr. Lister was also cast as President Lindberg in “The Fifth Element” in 1997, and would joke that he was the “first Black president,” Ms. Cowan said.
Ice Cube, a writer and star of “Friday,” the 1995 comedy that gave Mr. Lister perhaps the signature role of his acting career, praised Mr. Lister as “a born entertainer who would pop into character at the drop of a hat terrifying people on and off camera” before following up with “a big smile and laugh.”
Keith Lister, a brother of Mr. Lister, said the actor was married to Felicia Forbes and had a daughter, Faith, 12. Other survivors included Mr. Lister’s mother, Mildred Edwards Lister, and his siblings Anthony and Jill.