Michael K. Williams, 54, was found dead Monday in his New York apartment.
The African-American actor was found unconscious at 2:00 p.m. local time in the dining room of his luxurious Brooklyn home, according to police cited by local media.
Williams rose to fame playing the criminal Omar Little on
The Wire,
one of the most memorable characters in the iconic crime series.
He managed to mark another career milestone with his Albert
Chalky
White at
Boardwalk Empire
.
The four-time Emmy Award nominee has garnered critical acclaim for his work since 1995. His next project, announced last week, was to star in the biopic about two-time world heavyweight champion George Foreman, directed by George Tillman Jr. .
Omar Little was a stepping stone in his career. His performance during the five seasons of the series that portrays the crudest face on the streets of Baltimore moved viewers and became one of the cult characters in the world of the series. Former President Barack Obama himself maintained that he was his favorite character on The Wire. In 2012 Donnie Amdrwes, the criminal who inspired Omar, died. “DEP the original gangster and a top to bottom man, Donnie Andrews. The man who was the inspiration for Omar Little. I dedicate my prayers to him, ”Williams wrote on his Twitter account.
Williams was one of the leading faces in hit HBO series such as
Boradwalk Empire, The Night Of
and
Lovecraft Country,
for which he is currently nominated for an Emmy in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series.
He also starred in such major films as
12 Years a Slave, Inherent Vice, Gone Baby Gone,
and
The Road.
More information
The criminal who inspired Omar's character in 'the wire' dies
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