‘Oz’ star Granville Adams dead at 58 after battle with cancer

Granville Adams, who starred as inmate Zahir Arif on HBO’s prison show “Oz,” has died, 10 months after announcing he had been diagnosed with cancer. He was 58.

“After a long hard-fought battle with cancer, Granny has ascended to the heavens,” his family wrote on Instagram Monday.

“Granny is now in peace and not suffering anymore. He fought till the end with a strength, beauty and grace like no other, putting his family before himself til the final moments. Granville would not want us to be sad! Granny would want us all to smile and remember the best times we had with him, and share the love we learned from him! Granny may have left the building, but he will forever be in our hearts!”

His wife, Christina, was at his bedside when he died.

Before “Oz,” on which he appeared in almost every episode, Adams had roles in “Homicide: Life on the Street” as Officer Jeff Westby, and the 2002 movie “Empire.”

“I first met Granny in 1992 and I immediately drank the Kool Aid,” “Oz” co-star Dean Winters wrote on Instagram.

“His smile was infectious, his chuckle was intoxicating. He never, ever spoke ill of anyone and I defy anyone who knew him to say anything negative about this man. Granville was beloved, period,” Winters said. He may as well have had people throwing rose petals at his feet while he walked down the street. A humble, beautiful soul who just elevated the afterlife to a whole new level. You will be missed my friend. You are my brother and I’m a better human being for knowing you.”