Emmy-nominated actor Michael K. Williams, best known for his role on the Baltimore-based HBO series “The Wire,” has died, a New York City Police spokesperson confirmed on Monday. He was 54.
Police said they responded to Williams’ Brooklyn apartment at 2 p.m. on Monday, where they found the actor deceased.
Officials say an investigation is ongoing.
Williams is currently nominated for an Emmy for his performance as Montrose Freeman in HBO’s “Lovecraft County.”
The star was born in Brooklyn, New York, in November 1966.
He got his start in entertainment around age 22 as a professional dancer, and appeared in more than 50 music videos, according to TV Guide.
Williams went on to make his feature film debut in the 1996 movie “Bullet,” in which he played High Top. It was the late Tupac Shakur who discovered Williams’ talent and cast him in the film, according to Williams’ website.
Additionally, Williams went on to play roles in movies such as Martin Scorsese’s “Bringing Out the Dead,” and others including “The Road,” “Gone Baby Gone,” “Life During Wartime,” “I Think I Love My Wife,” and “Wonderful World.”
But he was arguably most known for his role as Omar Little in the HBO series “The Wire,” which ran for five seasons.
“The wit and humor that Williams brought to Omar, the whistle-happy, profanity-averse, dealer-robbing stickup man, earned him high praise and made Omar one of television’s most memorable characters,” Williams’ website reads.
Even President Barack Obama noted in 2012 that Williams’ portrayal of Omar was his favorite character on “The Wire,” adding “that guy is unbelievable” in reference to Williams’ character.
Along with his iconic performance in “The Wire,” Williams was praised for his work as Albert “Chalky” White in HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” as well as Jack Gee, husband of Bessie Smith, in the HBO biopic “Bessie.” He also appeared in the Oscar-winning “12 Years a Slave.”
He shared a Screen Actors Guild Award with the cast of “Boardwalk Empire” for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series,” and was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards.
On Monday evening, celebrities and fans alike shared their emotional tributes to Williams on social media after learning of his death.
“This is utterly devastating. Sweet Michael. You were one of the greatest actors ever. Rest In Peace,” actress Patricia Arquette wrote on Twitter.
Williams’ “The Wire” co-star Isiah Whitlock Jr. tweeted that he was shocked to learn of the actor’s death.
“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,” he wrote.
Another “The Wire” co-star Wendell Pierce tweeted about his pain learning Williams’ had passed.
“The depth of my love for this brother, can only be matched by the depth of my pain learning of his loss. A immensely talented man with the ability to give voice to the human condition portraying the lives of those whose humanity is seldom elevated until he sings their truth,” Pierce tweeted.
Showtime’s “Billions” show-runner Brian Koppelman tweeted that Williams was a “beautiful soul.”
“Michael K Williams was a brilliant film artist. I only had one long in person conversation with him, but I remember it completely. What a beautiful soul. What a gifted human. Transcendent. Rip,” he tweeted.
Actress Rosie Perez wrote that she was “destroyed” when she learned of Williams’ death.
“WTF!!!! My friend just died!!! And I get a f—— alert to notify me?! WTF!!! Today is a f—– horrible day! I’m destroyed!” Perez tweeted.
Singer Jason Isbell wrote that he’d crossed paths with WIliams once in New York City and wished he had taken the opportunity to say “hello.”
“I crossed paths with Michael K. Williams once in New York and I was too nervous to say hello, so I walked around the block trying to work up the nerve and still couldn’t do it. Just loved his work so much. This news is so sad,” he wrote.
Jonathan Dienst contributed.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
