“It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy-nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams. They ask for your privacy while grieving this unsurmountable loss,” Williams’ rep told The Hollywood Reporter. Williams was born in Brooklyn in 1966 and honed his artistic talents first as a dancer for Madonna and George Michael before breaking into acting, starring alongside Tupac Shakurin 1996’s Bullet and having a small but memorable turn as a drug dealer in Martin Scorsese’s Bringing Out the Dead in 1999. He previously told Vanity Fair that a small role in an episode of The Sopranos made him feel like he’d finally made it. His biggest and most iconic break came in 2002, when he made his debut as Omar Little on HBO’s The Wire. Williams’ powerful portrayal of the gay vigilante, who hunted low-level drug dealers and lived by a strict moral code, is regarded as one of the best characters in television history. Unfortunately, the character became so engrained in the actor that when his arc ended, Williams admitted he didn’t know where to turn or what to do. “People didn’t even call me Mike, they called me Omar. But that wasn’t unusual because everybody had an alias,” Williams told NJ.com, explaining that he began to lose sight of where the character ended and where he began. “No one was called their government [name] on the block, so they called me Omar or ‘O.’ That mixed with my identity crisis and my addiction — and it was not a good mix. I had to stop trying to be Omar and just be Mike.” Williams confessed to spending his earnings from the series on drugs and turned to his church for physical, mental, emotional and financial recovery. Since then, he’d rebounded in a big way, starring as Chalky White on Boardwalk Empire, biology Professor Marshall Kane on Community and in films including Assassin’s Creed, 12 Years A Slave, The Purge: Anarchy, Triple 9 and Motherless Brooklyn. His most recent star turns were as Bobby McCray in Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us and as Montrose in Lovecraft Country, the latter for which he was a favorite for a 2021 Best Supporting Actor Emmy win. In addition to acting, Williams was passionate about giving back, with dreams of someday opening a community center. He frequented children’s hospitals and was an activist in the fight to end mass incarceration. “We are devastated to learn of the passing of Michael Kenneth Williams, a member of the HBO family for more than 20 years,” HBO said in a statement. “While the world is aware of his immense talents as an artist, we knew Michael as a dear friend who was beloved by all who had the privilege to work with him. We send our deepest condolences to his family for this immeasurable loss.” Other stars expressed their sympathy for his family and grief at the loss of an immense talent. “Michael K Williams, in addition to being one of the most talented actors around, was also one of the kindest, sweetest, most gentle souls I’ve ever met. This is heartbreaking. My thoughts are with all those who loved him,” director James Gunn tweeted. Leslie Jones, who starred in 2016’s Ghostbusters with Williams, tweeted, “Not gonna lie this one f—ed me up y’all!! [Michael] K. Williams was a solid dude. He was so nice to me when we did Ghostbusters and we bonded on many levels!! Damn I was just thinking the next time I saw him I was gonna tell him how dope of an actor he is. Rest in [love] Bro!” “I can’t even believe this,” Aldis Hodge wrote on Instagram. “Rest in power, Mike. You were always a good brother. A fantastic artist and an even better human being. We’ll miss you.” Isiah Whitlock, Jr., who co-starred with Williams on The Wire, tweeted, “Shocked and saddened by the death of Michael K Williams. One of the nicest brothers on the planet with the biggest heart. An amazing actor and soul. May you RIP. God bless.” The Wire creator David Simon tweeted, “Too gutted right now to say all that ought to be said. Michael was a fine man and a rare talent and on our journey together he always deserved the best words. And today those words won’t come.” Williams is survived by his mother, brother and nephew. According to IMDb, he has a handful of projects coming out in the near future, including the film Surrounded, which co-stars Jamie Bell and Black Panther’s Letitia Wright, and the indie drama 892 with Connie Britton, John Boyega and Nicole Beharie. However, Deadline reported that Britton had just boarded that project in August 2021, suggesting that filming might not be completed. Likewise, Deadline had only reported eight days prior to Williams’ passing that he had just joined an upcoming George Foreman biopic, where he was signed on to play the legendary boxer’s real-life mentor and trainer, Doc Broadus. Next, learn ways you can help continue Williams’ fight for racial justice.
