Michael K. Williams Passes Away

Williams
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Williams

The actor Michael K. Williams recently passed away. He was found dead in his Brooklyn home on September 6, 2021. He was 54 years old. No other details have come out at this time, according to The Washington Post. The police have yet to determine the cause of death.

Best known for his role as Omar Little on the HBO hit series “The Wire,” Williams captured the hearts and minds of viewers with his gritty portrayal of the character.

Williams went on to receive four Emmy nominations throughout his career, including for his role as the father to the main character in another HBO original called “Lovecraft Country.” He is also remembered for his roles in other HBO works like “Bessie,” “The Night Of,” and “Boardwalk Empire.”

He made memorable appearances in movies like “Gone Baby Gone” and “12 Years a Slave.” However, he will mostly be remembered for his role on “The Wire”.

Omar Little in the Flesh

williamsOmar Little captivated viewers with his complex personality and moral ambiguity. He was a man of ethics with a strict moral code, yet he was a world-class criminal.

Originally set to play the character for only a couple of episodes, Williams ended up going five seasons strong as the character became not only a fan favorite but a staple of the show. The role was his big break as his career was not the greatest at the time.

According to Williams and the show’s creator, David Simon, the actor was farthest from a gangster. He was not familiar with a shotgun and could not tell which end was which. Luckily he got what he called “Best acting lesson I ever had” when a drug dealer taught him about guns while firing pellets in his apartment building.

The actor talked about the struggle of separating himself from the characters he portrayed. He developed drug addictions and took on the name of his “The Wire” character in real life. He later found help and when dealing with engaging roles, he developed “tools” as he put it to pull himself out of those roles. Although a sad event to witness, Williams passing is less of tears and more of memories of a great actor’s legacy.

Written by Chiagozie Onyewuchi
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware

Source:

The Washington Post: Michael K. Williams, Emmy-nominated actor who brought charming menace to ‘The Wire’, dies at 54; Harrison Smith

Featured and Top Image by Tim Pierce Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Henry Fong’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License

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