On Monday 6 September 2021, it was reported that actor Michael K Williams was found dead in his apartment in New York City. The actor was known for his role as Omar Little, an armed thief that robs street-level drug dealers in the HBO Series The Wire.
The ongoing investigation of Wiliams’ death
According to sources, the 54-year-old actor was found unconscious on his dining room table. Law enforcement told CNN that investigators found drug paraphernalia near his body.
There are speculations of an overdose death, however, the investigation is still ongoing and no official cause of death has been confirmed.
William’s battles with drug addiction
Williams has been open about his struggles with drug addiction in the past. In an interview with NJ.com in 2012, the actor was candid about the extremes that drugs have pushed him to.
In the interview, the 54-year-old reflected on the many times he blacked out, leaving him to wonder how he was still alive.
“It was just a matter of time before I got caught and my business ended up on the cover of a tabloid or I went to jail or, worse, I ended up dead. When I look back on it now, I don’t know how I didn’t end up in a body bag,” he chillingly said at the time.
In February 2021, the dynamic actor opened up to Marc Maron on his WTF podcast about the struggles of escaping the pull of drug addiction. In the conversation, Williams admitted that despite his efforts to stay clean, “relapse to me is part of my story.”
In that same month, the actor appeared as a guest on The Tamron Hall Show where he delved deeper into his battle with drugs.
Heart-warming tributes for Michael K William
The tributes that were paid to William on social media by his friends and fans have shown the impact that the actor had. Fans that have had the opportunity to interact with the actor shared stories of how he was always present and giving of his time.
Williams’s co-star on The Wire Wendell Pierce also shared a heartfelt tribute on Twitter. Pierce went on to share about his relationship with William and how he witnessed the actor use his talent of acting to face his fears and inspire people.
Here are more tributes we found on social media:
Please take a moment. Listen to Wendell Pierce @WendellPierce speak about Michael K. Williams… pic.twitter.com/DfWS5Jkiot
— Rex Chapman (@RexChapman) September 7, 2021
I used to be on staff at one of the many organizations Michael K Williams supported, and he was the one celebrity you could always count to show up. He shared his time, talent, and spirit with those kids, and the impact of that cannot be overstated. https://t.co/pC9noX8FwA
— Sage Young (@sageyoungest) September 6, 2021
I feel punched in gut to learn we’ve lost Michael K Williams. Soul anguished. Getting to work with him was one of the greatest privileges I’ve had in my career. My admiration for his talent was boundless, like so many. If he was in a scene he was the best thing about it. Period.
— Edward Norton (@EdwardNorton) September 6, 2021
Michael K. Williams & I once shared a conversation at some party thing I didn’t fit in or feel good at. He sat down in a corner I was hiding in & just wanted to talk about poems for a while. All I said was “I write,” & he treated me with warmth. like I’d unlocked a universe.
— Hanif Abdurraqib (@NifMuhammad) September 6, 2021