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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 for his acclaimed portrayals of Omar Little on the HBO drama series The Wire (2002–2008) and Albert "Chalky" White on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014).[2][3][4]

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.[5]

Williams 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 crime series The Night Of (2016) and the HBO supernatural series 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).

During his career he 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.[6]

Early life and education

[edit]

Williams was born on November 22, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York City, the son of Bahamian born Paula Thompson [7] and Booker T. Williams, an American, from Greeleyville, South Carolina, where his African-American family has deep roots.[8] Williams was raised on New York Avenue near Vanderveer Projects in East Flatbush, Brooklyn,[9][10] and attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School.[11] Later, Williams enrolled at the National Black Theatre in New York City.[12]

Career

[edit]

1994-2001: Early career and acting-debut

[edit]

Williams worked for Pfizer pharmaceuticals as a temp.[13] However, inspired by Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, he left school and quit his job, against the wishes of his family, to pursue a career as a dancer. During a year in which he was intermittently homeless, Williams visited record labels and dance studios looking for work. He got a job as a background dancer with singer Kym Sims, which led to more work appearing as a dancer in music videos and on tours with artists such as George Michael and Madonna, as well as some modeling work. He also choreographed Crystal Waters' 1994 single "100% Pure Love".[14][15]

Williams had a prominent vertically spanning forehead scar inflicted in a bar fight on his 25th birthday. The scar became his signature feature, and resulted in offers to perform as a thug in music videos[16] and modeling opportunities with noted photographers like David LaChapelle.[17] One of his first acting roles was alongside Tupac Shakur as High Top, the brother and henchman to Shakur's drug kingpin Tank, in the 1996 film Bullet.[5] Shakur reportedly decided on Williams for the role after spotting a Polaroid photograph of him in a production studio.[18]

2002-2008: Breakthrough with The Wire

[edit]
Williams at Harvard University for a panel discussion on The Wire, November 8, 2010

Williams gained recognition as an actor for his portrayal of Omar Little in The Wire, which began filming in 2002. The character was based on Donnie Andrews, along with other crime figures in Baltimore.[19] Williams received the part after a single audition,[20] at the encouragement of writer Ed Burns.[21] He was told that the character was slated to appear in just seven episodes and expected him to be killed by the end of the first season.[20] However, creator David Simon stated that they always planned to keep the character as part of the continuing ensemble should the show be renewed beyond one season.[22]

For his portrayal of Omar, Williams was named by USA Today as "one of ten reasons they still love television". The magazine praised Omar for his uniqueness as a character, and Williams for bringing wit and humor to the portrayal.[2] Omar has been named as one of the first season's richest characters, a Robin Hood of Baltimore's west side projects. The Baltimore City Paper named the character one of their top ten reasons not to cancel the show and called him "arguably the show's single greatest achievement".[4] In 2007, he was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Omar.[23]

Williams pursued the role because he was intrigued by Omar's contradictory nature.[20] He felt Omar's popularity stemmed from his honesty, lack of materialism, individuality and his adherence to his strict code.[20] He felt that the role has been a breakthrough in terms of bringing attention to him and getting further roles.[24] Williams received both positive and negative reactions to Omar's homosexuality and felt that he was successful in challenging attitudes and provoking discussion with the role.[24] In 2008, then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama cited The Wire as his favorite television show, and called Omar his favorite character. About Omar, Obama said, "That's not an endorsement. He's not my favorite person, but he's a fascinating character ... he's the toughest, baddest guy on the show."[25]

Williams had a recurring role on J. J. Abrams' Alias. He also had a recurring role on the Abrams-produced Six Degrees.[24] He made brief appearances on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (playing two different characters on two different seasons), Boston Legal, The Sopranos, Law & Order (playing three different characters on three different seasons), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (also playing two different characters on two different seasons), Human Giant,[26] and Third Watch.[27] Williams appeared in The Kill Point as recurring guest star Q, a police sniper, alongside The Wire co-stars J. D. Williams, Michael Hyatt and Leo Fitzpatrick. He auditioned for the starring role of Mr. Cat but was forced to take a smaller role due to scheduling conflicts; the part of Mr. Cat went to J. D. Williams instead.[28] Williams played a Boston area detective named Devin Amronklin in the 2007 film Gone, Baby, Gone. The film is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane, who has written for The Wire, and was adapted and directed by Ben Affleck. Amronklin is a recurring character in Lehane's Kenzie-Genarro series of books. Williams said that he enjoyed working with Affleck and characterized him as a passionate and hands-on director.[24] Williams played Teddy, the former boyfriend of Nikki Tru (Kerry Washington) in the Chris Rock film I Think I Love My Wife. He played James, a policeman, in singer R. Kelly's video for "Trapped in the Closet". He also appeared in The Game's "Dreams" and "How We Do" music videos, Tony Yayo's "It's a Stick Up" music video and Cam'ron's film Killa Season, as well as Trick Daddy's video "Tuck Your Ice In", Freeway's "How We Do", Sheek Louch's "Good Love", and Young Jeezy's "Bury me a G" alongside his The Wire co-star Hassan Johnson. Williams played the role of The Thief in the 2009 film The Road, an adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name.[29]

2009-2020: Established work and final roles

[edit]

In 2010, Williams appeared in the film Life During Wartime. The character he played, Allen, was portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the film's predecessor, Happiness.[30] Williams starred in the film A Day in the Life, which was directed by, produced by, and starred rapper Sticky Fingaz. The entire film is a musical with every line being delivered in rap verse. Williams starred in HBO's Boardwalk Empire for its five seasons (2010–2014), appearing as Albert "Chalky" White, the leader of 1920s' Atlantic City's black community.[31]

Williams on the float as the Celebrity Grand Marshal at the 2016 San Francisco Pride Parade

On July 23, 2011, Community creator Dan Harmon revealed that Williams would star in "at least three episodes" of the sitcom's third season.[32] He played the role of Biology Professor Marshall Kane at Greendale Community College.[33] In November 2011, it was announced that Williams would appear in Quentin Tarantino's feature film Django Unchained.[34] Williams, who had previously confirmed that he was actually in talks with Tarantino to take on the titular role of Django, was to portray a minor character in the film, but scheduling conflicts with Boardwalk Empire prevented him from doing so.[35] On May 16, 2012, Williams announced that he was an executive producer of the independent film Snow on tha Bluff, Williams' first film under his company, Freedome Productions. On Power 105.1fm's The Breakfast Club, Williams revealed the June 19 release date for Snow on tha Bluff, describing the movie as "real graphic": "everything that is wrong with the 'hood is in this movie".[36] Williams also shared on The Breakfast Club that he was starring in an African American western, They Die by Dawn, with his co-star Snoop from the HBO series The Wire. Williams also revealed that he was starring in the lead role as rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard (ODB) from the Wu-Tang Clan in the movie Dirty Whiteboy in 2014, which is based on the relationship ODB had with his manager during the last two years of his life. Williams mentioned the role was special to him because he grew up listening to Ol' Dirty Bastard and to Wu-Tang and was also a Brooklyn native.[36] In 2013, Williams starred in MGMT's music video for "Cool Song No. 2"[37] and had a cameo appearance in Jay-Z's "Picasso Baby" art film.[38] That same year, Williams appeared in ASAP Rocky's video for "Phoenix".[39] He was also featured modeling for The Gap's 2014 fall collection.[40] Williams was the voice actor for the character Kimble “Irish” Graves in Battlefield 4.

On March 9, 2015, it was announced that Williams would star in SundanceTV's Hap and Leonard,[41] and he stayed with the series for its entire three-season run. Also in 2015, Williams appeared in the music video for "The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles" by Marilyn Manson.[42] In 2016, Williams began working with Vice News, hosting a VICELAND program titled Black Market. In the series, he visited various clandestine markets to explore how they operate while investigating the circumstances that generate their clientele.[43] In 2018, Williams again worked with the Vice team. In "Raised in the System", the extended premiere episode of the sixth season of HBO's Emmy-winning weekly news magazine series Vice, Williams embarked on a personal journey to expose the root of the American mass incarceration crisis: the juvenile justice system.[44] Williams was originally cast as Dryden Vos, a crime lord, in Solo: A Star Wars Story,[45] but exited the role after being unable to return for re-shoots due to scheduling conflicts with the film The Red Sea Diving Resort.[46] Paul Bettany was cast in his place, with the character being reworked from a motion-capture alien to a human.[47] In 2020, he played Montrose Freeman on the HBO series Lovecraft Country.[48]

Personal life

[edit]

During his portrayal of Omar, Williams went by his character's name and developed a habit of smoking cannabis and an addiction to cocaine in 2004.[49] Williams lived part-time in Newark, New Jersey using drugs, but sought help from a ministry in neighboring Irvington, which he credited for helping him during the production.[50][51][52]

Death

[edit]

On September 6, 2021, at the age of 54, Williams was found dead by his nephew at his apartment in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn.[53][54][55][18] On September 24, the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City ruled it a death by overdose and confirmed that Williams died of a combination of cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and parafluorofentanyl.[56][57] His private funeral was held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Cathedral in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where his mother lives.[58] The Baltimore Ravens played a tribute to Williams by playing his character Omar Little's whistle of the song "The Farmer in the Dell" as part of the team intro all throughout the M&T Bank Stadium.[59] Félix Bautista of the Baltimore Orioles began entering the game to Omar's whistle as a tribute.[60]

In February 2022, police arrested four men in connection with Williams' death.[61] In April 2023, drug dealer Irvin Cartagena pleaded guilty to selling the mix of heroin and fentanyl to Williams that resulted in his death.[62] In July 2023, four men took guilty pleas and Carlos Macci, one of the men, was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.[63][64]

Artistry and legacy

[edit]

Williams also served as the American Civil Liberties Union celebrity ambassador to the Campaign for Smart Justice.[65] Williams's portrayals of openly gay characters was deemed to be revolutionary.[66] He has been described as a "singular presence, onscreen and off, who made every role his own".[67] Williams's portrayal of Omar Little has been called one of the best in the history of television.[68] His performance as Omar was widely-acclaimed, leading to praise from President Barack Obama and a nomination for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series in 2007.[23] 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.[69] 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".[70]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
List of Michael K. Williams film credits
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Bullet High Top
Mugshot Rumor
1998 The Substitute 2: School's Out Gang Member (uncredited)
1999 Bringing Out the Dead Drug Dealer
2000 Broke Even Kenny
2004 Doing Hard Time Curtis Craig Video
2005 Guile Ken Short
Trapped in the Closet Chapters 1–12 James Video short
2006 Bondage Willie
Mercenary for Justice Samuel Kay Video
5up 2down Terance
2007 Trapped in the Closet Chapters 13–22 James Video short
Trapped in the Closet: The BIG Package James Video short
I Think I Love My Wife Teddy
Gone Baby Gone Devin
2008 The Incredible Hulk Harlem Bystander
KeAnthony: A Hustlaz Story Shawn Short
Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club Tone Video
Miracle at St. Anna Tucker (Scared Soldier)
2009 Brooklyn's Finest Red
Tell-Tale Acherton
Wonderful World Ibu
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll Sonnyboy
A Kiss of Chaos Demetrius
Addicts Lil J
A Day in the Life Killer Mike
The Road Thief
Life During Wartime Allen
2011 Bayou Black Willy Jones Short
You're Nobody 'til Somebody Kills You A.D.
2012 LUV Det. Holloway
Crispus Attucks: Today Was a Good Day Himself Short
W8 (Weight) Derrick Jones / Dee Short
The Wire: The Musical Omar Little Short
Nobody's Nobody's Emeka Short
Trapped in the Closet: The Next Installment James Video short
2013 Snitch Malik
12 Years a Slave Robert
Plant Hunter Plant Hunter Short
They Die by Dawn Nat Love
The Devil Goes Down The Devil Short
Fairfield County Leonard Short
2014 RoboCop Jack Lewis
The Purge: Anarchy Carmelo Johns
Time Out of Mind Mike
Kill the Messenger Ricky Ross
Inherent Vice Tariq Khalil
The Gambler Neville Baraka
2015 Anesthesia Jeffrey
Captive Det. John Chestnut
2016 The Land Pops
Triple 9 Sweet Pea
Ghostbusters Agent Hawkins
When the Bough Breaks Roland
Against the Wall Man Short
Assassin's Creed Moussa
2017 Above the Noise Short
2018 The Public Jackson
Superfly Scatter
2019 The Red Sea Diving Resort Kabede Bimro
Motherless Brooklyn Trumpet Man
Father Grandfather Short
About The People The Senator Short
2020 Arkansas Almond
Critical Thinking Mr. Roundtree
Beastie Boys Story Bob Dylan [71]
2021 Body Brokers Wood
2022 Breaking Eli Bernard Posthumous release
2023 Surrounded Will Clay
2024 The Brown Dog (2024 film) Nobody Animated Short, Posthumous release [72]

Television

[edit]
List of Michael K. Williams television credits
Year Title Role Notes
1997 Law & Order Delmore Walton Episode: "Shadow"
2001 Law & Order Marcus Cole Episode: "A Losing Season"
Deadline Darin Episode: "The Undesirables"
The Sopranos Ray Ray Episode: "Army of One"
2002 Third Watch Cop #1 Episode: "Superheroes Part 2"
2002–08 The Wire Omar Little Recurring cast (season 1–2), main cast (season 3–5) 42 episodes
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Double-D Gamble Episode: "Escape"
2005 Lackawanna Blues Jimmy TV movie
Alias Roberts Recurring cast (season 4)
Boston Legal Randall Kirk Episode: "Gone"
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Ronnie Episode: "Hollywood Brass"
2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Victor Bodine Episode: "Underbelly"
2006–07 Six Degrees Michael Recurring cast
2007 The Kill Point Quincy Recurring cast
2008 Human Giant Chris Barksdale Episode: "Respect. Honor. Discipline."
CSI: NY Reggie Dunham Episode: "The Box"
2009 Law & Order Charles Cole Episode: "Great Satan"
The Philanthropist Dax Vahagn Main cast
2010 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Laurent Episode: "World's End"
2010–14 Boardwalk Empire Chalky White Main cast 35 episodes
2011 Detroit 1-8-7 Clarence Warrenton Episode: "Legacy/Drag City"
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Unnamed Citizen (voice) Episode: "Allen Part Two"
The Cookout 2 Cable Guy Mike TV movie
2011–12 Community Dr. Marshall Kane Recurring cast (season 3)
2013 Walk This Way Rev. Daniels Main cast
High School USA! Lucius (voice) Episode: "Adderall"
2014 Lucas Bros. Moving Co. Satan / Nigerian Dude (voice) Episode: "A/C Tundra"
I Love the 2000s Himself 10 episodes
2015 Bessie Jack Gee TV movie
The Spoils Before Dying Rock Banyon Main cast
2016 The Night Of Freddy Knight Main cast
2016,
2022 		Black Market with Michael K. Williams[73] Himself 14 episodes
2016–18 Hap and Leonard Leonard Pine Main cast
2017 When We Rise Ken Jones Main cast
2017–21 F Is for Family Smokey Greenwood (voice) Recurring cast (season 2–5)
2018 The Guest Book Gabe Episode: "Someplace Other Than Here"
Vice Himself Episode: "Raised in the System"
2019 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Richard Sackler Episode: "Opioids II"
When They See Us Bobby McCray Main cast
2020 Lovecraft Country Montrose Freeman Main cast

Theater

[edit]
Year Title Role Venue Ref.
2007 The 24 Hour Plays Gehring American Airlines Theatre, Broadway [74]

Video games

[edit]
List of Michael K. Williams video game credits
Year Title Role Notes
2013 Battlefield 4 Sgt. Kimble "Irish" Graves Voice and motion capture
2020 NBA 2K21 Archie Baldwin Voice and motion capture
2021 Battlefield 2042 Cpt. Kimble "Irish" Graves Posthumous; Voice and motion capture

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Michael K. Williams

Bibliography

[edit]

In 2022, his autobiography Scenes From My Life was published. He died a few weeks before the manuscript was completed.[75]

References

[edit]
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