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Michael K. Williams

Michael K. Williams
Williams at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2012
Born
Michael Kenneth Williams

(1966-11-22)November 22, 1966
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedSeptember 6, 2021(2021-09-06) (aged 54)
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1994–2021
Children3[1]
Websitemichaelkennethwilliams.com

Michael Kenneth Williams (November 22, 1966 – September 6, 2021) was an American actor. He rose to fame in 2002 through his critically acclaimed role as Omar Little on the HBO drama series The Wire.[2][3][4] He has been described as a "singular presence, onscreen and off, who made every role his own".[5]

Born in Brooklyn, New York City, to an African-American father from South Carolina and a Bahamian mother, Williams enrolled at the National Black Theater. He left school early to pursue a career as a dancer, which resulted in his working with Kym Sims, George Michael, and Madonna, and found work choreographing music videos. His distinctive voice, prominent facial scar, and charisma helped him obtain acting work, initially alongside Tupac Shakur in the 1996 film Bullet before being cast in The Wire in 2002.[6] His performance as Omar was widely acclaimed, leading to praise from President Barack Obama and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series in 2007.[7]

Williams also played Albert "Chalky" White on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire from 2010 to 2014. He earned five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in the HBO television biopic Bessie (2015), the Netflix drama series When They See Us (2019), and the HBO series The Night Of (2016) and Lovecraft Country (2020). He had a recurring role in the NBC sitcom Community from 2011 to 2012. He also had supporting roles in a number of films including Gone Baby Gone (2007), The Road (2009), Inherent Vice (2014), and Motherless Brooklyn (2019), as well as starring roles in 12 Years a Slave (2013), Robocop (2014), The Purge: Anarchy (2014), The Gambler (2014), Triple 9 (2016), Ghostbusters (2016), and Assassin's Creed (2016).

Williams acknowledged struggles with fame throughout his life, admitting that he had suffered from drug addictions during the height of his success. He continued to live in Brooklyn until his death in 2021 at age 54, after using heroin laced with a lethal amount of fentanyl. Four men were charged in the aftermath of his death with various crimes, including manslaughter.[8]

Williams' portrayal of Omar Little has been called one of the best in the history of television.[9] With The Wire and other shows such as The Sopranos, Williams was credited with being part of the late 1990s and early 2000s artistic force changing American television into an art form.[10] In the aftermath of his death, he was the subject of tributes and appraisal both in the United States and beyond; the British lecturer and writer Kenan Malik wrote of his "power and nuance, seldom seen on screen".[11]

  1. ^ Stalnecker, Ashley (September 14, 2021). "Michael K. Williams, 'The Wire' actor, will have private funeral services in Harrisburg, where he often visited his mother". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  2. ^ Bianco, Robert (May 26, 2004). "10 Reasons we still love TV". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 13, 2006. Retrieved July 21, 2006.
  3. ^ Barsanti, Chris (2004). "The Wire—The Complete First Season". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on January 6, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2006.
  4. ^ McCabe, Brent; Smith, Van (2005). "Down to the wire: Top 10 reasons not to cancel The Wire". Baltimore City Paper. Archived from the original on April 16, 2005. Retrieved July 21, 2006.
  5. ^ Framke, Caroline (September 7, 2021). "Michael K. Williams: A Singular Talent and Commanding Presence, Onscreen and Off". Variety. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hollywood Reporter Image 2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ agency, Guardian staff and (February 2, 2022). "Michael K Williams: four men charged in overdose death of Wire actor". the Guardian. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  9. ^ Andrews, Travis M. (September 6, 2021). "The ballad of Omar Little, Michael K. Williams's enduring role". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  10. ^ Jones, Emma. "How The Wire became the greatest TV show ever made". www.bbc.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  11. ^ "In an age too given to moral certainty, let's remember The Wire's Omar as a study in complexity | Kenan Malik". the Guardian. September 12, 2021. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.

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