BROOKLYN, NY – The entertainment world recently lost an extremely talented actor much too soon. Michael K. Williams, the dancer turned actor who captured the attention of viewers with impassioned performances in hit television series like “The Wire” and “Boardwalk Empire,” died on Monday, Sept. 6.
According to New York City police, the 54-year-old actor was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment Monday afternoon after being discovered by his nephew around 2 p.m.
While no official cause of death has been released, authorities are investigating Williams’ death as a possible drug overdose.
Born in Brooklyn, Williams started out as a backup dancer for artists such as Madonna and George Michael, before landing one of his first acting roles in the 1996 film “Bullet,” which also starred Mickey Rourke and late rap icon Tupac Shakur.
Williams’ breakout role came in 2002 when he was cast as Omar Little, the ruthless shotgun-toting stick-up man, who was notorious for robbing drug dealers in the HBO series “The Wire.” Little was one of the first TV characters who had the fascinating complexity of being a “tough guy” as well as being an openly gay Black man. That combination was the first of its kind.
Williams starred in all five seasons of the hit HBO series and was a part of an ensemble cast that included Dominic West, Idris Elba, Wood Harris, Wendell Pierce, Frankie Faison and Sonja Sohn.
While there were many noteworthy characters and storylines that were explored throughout “The Wire,” Little is widely regarded as one of the show’s most memorable and enthralling characters.
For his work in “The Wire,” Williams was nominated for two NAACP Image Awards.
He also found success portraying charismatic gangster and bootlegger Albert “Chalky” White in 1920’s Atlantic City, New Jersey in the HBO period drama “Boardwalk Empire,” which ran from 2010-2014. Williams often played the counterpart of series lead Steve Buscemi sharing in many iconic scenes together.
Williams, along with the rest of the cast from “Boardwalk Empire,” won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
He also delivered dynamic performances in films and television shows including: “Gone Baby Gone,” “12 Years a Slave,” “The Gambler,” “Alias,” “When We Rise,” “Bessie” and “When They See Us.”
Williams received three Primetime Emmy nominations for his critically acclaimed performances in “Bessie,” “The Night Of,” and “When They See Us.”
Recently, Williams starred as Montrose Freeman in the acclaimed HBO series “Lovecraft Country” and nabbed his fifth Emmy nomination for his portrayal.
While Williams continued to make a mark onscreen, he also used his platform to become a staunch activist for prison reform and served as the American Civil Liberties Union’s ambassador for ending mass incarceration.
As the news of his death began to spread, scores of fans, co-stars and admirers of his incomparable talent, began to pay tribute to Williams on social media.
Wendell Pierce, who portrayed Bunk Moreland in “The Wire,” paid tribute to Williams via Twitter.
“The depth of my love for this brother, can only be matched by the depth of my pain learning of his loss,” Pierce said. “A immensely talented man with the ability to give voice to the human condition portraying the lives of those whose humanity is seldom elevated until he sings their truth.”
Ava DuVernay, who directed Williams in “When They See Us,” remembered Williams as a man who touched and moved many.
“I remember the times you’d come on set even when you weren’t on the call sheet. Just to share a hug. To cheer us on,” DuVernay said via Instagram. “Strolling in like the King that you were. For just a flash to give some love – then gone.”
Courtney B. Vance, who starred alongside Williams in “Lovecraft Country,” also paid tribute to his late co-star and said that he would always be remembered as an “amazing, kind man.”
“Michael worked hard in his work and throughout his life. He shared with us all how hard he tried to achieve sustained sobriety,” Vance said. “I know Michael, the man, would want his life to serve as an important teachable lesson for anyone who is in the midst of the very real struggle against addiction.”
Williams is survived by his mother, brother, son and nephew.
His indelible legacy, one that speaks volumes of his hard-work, dedication and overall kind-heartedness, will forever be etched in the hearts and minds of those who knew him personally and in those who simply admired his work from afar.
Williams’ iconic, identifiable characters will always resonate with viewers, but it pales in comparison to who he was as a person and what he stood for as a man and will be sorely missed by all.
