Michael K. Williams mostly known for his portrayal of Omar Little in Hit HBO series, ‘”The Wire” is dead.
He was found dead in his New York apartment over suspected drug overdose.
Williams was a series regular on many acclaimed HBO series, including “The Wire,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Night Of”, the 2020 hit series “Lovecraft Country,” played Leonard on SundanceTV crime series “Hap and Leonard” and had a recurring role on J.J. Abrams’ “Alias.”
He also acted in acclaimed films including “Inherent Vice,” “12 Years a Slave,” “Gone Baby Gone”, “Motherless Brooklyn” and “The Road.”
Williams portrayals often attracted attention and award nominations, as the actor is currently in Emmy contention for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for his work on “Lovecraft Country.”
According to the New York Post, the actor was found dead by law enforcement on Monday afternoon at his penthouse in Williamsburg. Drug paraphernalia was also found, indicating a possible overdose, the newspaper reported.
New York Police Department spokesman John Grimpel said police went to Williams’s Brooklyn apartment after receiving an emergency call at 14:00 local time on Monday (19:00WAT).
The multiple Emmy nominated actor has openly discussed his struggles with drugs before.
Former co-stars and filmmakers have been paying tribute on social media since the report of his death broke.
“The depth of my love for this brother, can only be matched by the depth of my pain learning of his loss,” The Wire co-star Wendell Pierce tweeted.
“If he was in a scene he was the best thing about it. Period,” wrote actor Edward Norton, who worked with Williams on the 2019 film Motherless Brooklyn.
Williams was described as one of the “most gentle souls I’ve ever met”, by filmmaker James Gunn.
Born in New York in 1966, Williams began his career as a dancer and performed with Madonna and George Michael before moving into acting, with companies including the prestigious National Black Theatre Company.