Director Cindy Cowan said the 62-year-old started feeling sick a week ago, but his symptoms “got really worse and really fast.”
She said he could not breathe and felt very weak.
“Things have gone very fast,” Kwan added.
Leicester is best known for playing Deebo in the “Friday” movie franchise alongside rapper Ice Cube. He also appeared with Hulk Hogan in the World Wrestling Entertainment movie “No Holds Barred”.
Lester was supposed to be on the set of a new movie last weekend. Kwan said he called the cancellation because he was feeling very weak and was having difficulty breathing.
“Tiny doesn’t miss the movies; he took it very seriously,” she said.
After that, the actor canceled plans for a painting that was scheduled to take place on Wednesday for a TV festival via Zoom, according to Cowan.
She said her assistant went to Leicester’s house that day with some vitamins and antibiotics to check-in. The concerned family members also began calling him on Wednesday night.
Kwan said the calls were not answered.
The next day, Lester’s friend went to his house and asked for help from the police when no one came to the door.
When the House of Representatives entered the house, they found Lester dead.
The Los Angeles County Police Department said in a statement: “It appears that Mr. Lister’s death was of natural causes, but will ultimately be determined by the office of the forensic medical examiner.”
The statement said the death was still under investigation.
