American actor Michael K. Williams, aka Omar in the cult series
The Wire
, who was found dead at his home in New York on September 6, died of an
"accidental"
overdose
of fentanyl, heroin, and of cocaine, the New York medical services announced Friday, September 24.
According to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which called the death
"accidental,"
Michael K. Williams died at age 54 of
"acute poisoning, by the combined effects of fentanyl
(a potent opioid)
, of p -fluorofentanyl, heroin and cocaine ”
.
The Wire star Michael K. Williams found dead in New York
"There will be no further comment," the office said in a message to the media.
The actor was found dead in his apartment in Brooklyn, the New York borough where he grew up.
Michael K. Williams, whose face was crossed out with a long scar, had become widely known and appreciated by playing Omar Little, atypical character
from David Simon's
The Wire
series
.
In this gripping dive into the daily life of Baltimore's poor neighborhoods, his portrayal of a lonely homosexual criminal, with his own moral code and principles, had been hailed by critics and the public.
Read alsoThe creator of "The Wire" is preparing a new series based in Baltimore
In an interview with American radio NPR in 2016, he recounted how he himself struggled with his drug addiction in his real life while playing in
The Wire
.
He had been nominated five times at the Emmy Awards, without winning the award, the last time in 2021 for his role in the series "Lovecraft Country".
