Michael K. Williams Dead at 54
Source: TMZ
Michael K. Williams -- best known for his breakout role as Omar Little on "The Wire" -- is dead from a suspected drug overdose ... TMZ has learned.
According to law enforcement sources ... Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment Monday after a relative hadn't heard from him in a couple days and went to check on him.
We're told the actor was found in the living room of his home, and drug paraphernalia was on a table nearby ... suggesting he died from an OD. NY Post first reported the death.
Read more: https://www.tmz.com/2021/09/06/michael-k-williams-dead-at-54/
Jim__
(14,045 posts)He was the guy in prison who asked the assistant DA, "What can I tell you about my crooked ass lawyer," or something like that.
Rest in peace.
iemanja
(53,001 posts)Such a loss.
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)I never watched any of the popular cop shows but he was a main character in HBO's "Boardwalk Empire". I remember reading a bio article about him and some of the hardships he had through life (and he talked about how he got the scar).
Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)That was an amazing show (esp. the first few seasons) and his menacing presence was a great addition.
Such sad news.
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)did the character "Mouse" in "Devil and the Blue Dress", except Chalky was a lot more "rough around the edges".
I loved that show because of all the historical research done to present what was going on during that era of Prohibition, before and after... WW1, the invention and proliferation of the radio, the Suffrage movement, Warren Harding and his mistress, all the gangster syndicates in AC, NYC (Arnold Rothstein's turf), and Chicago (Al Capone's turf, and even mention of the "Black Sox" scandal and referencing back to Rothstein who would would pop in and out of episodes), the bootlegging going on in Ohio, the young J. Edgar Hoover, etc.
Plus since I'm in Philly, there were a lot of references to going back and forth between AC and here, including the towns and and streets and places between them. I still laugh about how they showed the Black Horse Pike (nowadays a multi-lane thoroughfare) as a ramshackle path through the Pine Barrens.
iemanja
(53,001 posts)You have to watch it. It's in my view the Shakespeare of our time.
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)No "The Wire". No "Law and Order: (fill in the blank version) ". No "CSI: (fill in the blank version).
I was a scifi fan so mostly the various iterations of Trek. But recently I haven't watched much of anything at all, although I did watch The Sopranos when it was first run and I'm slowly going through "Handmaid's Tale" on Hulu.
Ztolkins
(429 posts)Much more akin to The Soprano's
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)And mainly found myself watching The Sopranos because one of my former co-workers was a big fan and my mom was a big fan, and I ended being the "go-between" person - passing weekly episode commentary to/from them. Since my mother taped the episodes, I had to borrow her tapes to catch up on some of the earliest episodes at the time before watching the rest through season 8 as they aired (including that finale episode).
I suppose it's more a genre preference.
Ztolkins
(429 posts)The Lower Decks
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)I just remember the original TNG ep that I believe that series is based off of -
Ztolkins
(429 posts)Was that intentional?
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)Supposedly following a young and diverse group of crew members on their early missions, sortof the "untold stories of the run-of-the-mill crew".
I think the original idea was to follow the trials and tribulations and experiences of a group of Cadets at the Academy.
OldBaldy1701E
(4,963 posts)'Dreadnought!' is my fave ST novel. It is mainly about another person, not the usual characters.
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)across the original 5 (live action) series.
I have Carey's "Ghost Ship" but as a Vulcan fan, I followed Diane Duane's books (where I put "Spock's World" at the top of my list).
OldBaldy1701E
(4,963 posts)I finally had to order a used copy as the first three disintegrated from use. The thought of Sarek giving a speech to the UN in a Texas drawl is something I wish I could actually experience. LOL.
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)(I do have a handful of hardbacks - especially of the Peter David books)
iemanja
(53,001 posts)not at all. It's about drug issues in Baltimore, the ports, the schools, and the press. The police and drug dealers are a constant thread in the show, but it's not like a cop procedural.
Try checking it out. It's on HBO if you have that subscription. Amazon had it for a while but now you have to have an HBO subscription to watch it. You can probably get it at the library though.
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)and almost want to drop it all because I have pretty much stopped watching any of it (my weather hobby has taken a lot of my time).
I am a scifi person too and the same sorts of themes go on with many of those shows, which is why I'm clawing my way through "The Handmaid's Tale"...
iemanja
(53,001 posts)That's great for sci fi fans.
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)but then it originally aired the year before I retired and I was so jammed up with work (before and after hours) that I just couldn't do it... Before then I had even watched a few episodes of "Deadwood" (as a long time Ian McShane fan). And back around then, I had been a devotee of "Jericho" (and was involved in all the fan discussions when they canceled it and then brought it back).
I eventually became a CSPAN junky and started trying to catch up on some of the "classic" films that get referenced all the time, so I just drifted away from series in general...
Withywindle
(9,988 posts)It's on HBO too. MKW was really, really great in that too.
It's a thriller/horror/SF show that addresses the racism in HP Lovecraft's writing kind of sideways, with an almost all Black cast trying to survive in the 50s - and the white racists are so horrifying that it's a relief when the actual cosmic horror Monsters From Beyond show up, they're nowhere near as scary. There's a lot of social satire in it too. MKW plays the MC's father, who is a closeted gay man who has trauma from being a survivor of the Tulsa massacre.
edit: He's a current Emmy nominee for that role. I wonder if he'll win posthumously.
BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)but one that I did actually want to put on the "to watch" list is HBO's "Watchmen" (I think it only went one season). I have a watch list for Hulu and I think they also offer that too.
NH Ethylene
(30,793 posts)It was incredible. I think of it pretty often and am considering watching it a second time.
Vinca
(50,168 posts)intrepidity
(7,240 posts)First saw him as Omar, then in many, many other roles.
Ouch.
CatWoman
(79,283 posts)New Breed Leader
(614 posts)CatWoman
(79,283 posts)richdj25
(162 posts)Was one of my favorite actors from the Wire. Truly saddened by his passing.
Rest in peace Michael. You left a hell of a foot-print for many on this world.
hlthe2b
(101,702 posts)Very sad. Damned drugs...(I assume)
sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)hlthe2b
(101,702 posts)AZSkiffyGeek
(10,787 posts)Damn so many good shows
sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)iemanja
(53,001 posts)a thing of beauty.
AdamGG
(1,275 posts)He plays on the Internet Scrabble Club site all the time and he uses his picture as his avatar. Seems like a nice guy (and a good player).
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,271 posts)irisblue
(32,828 posts)transcript & audio at source
Leghorn21
(13,520 posts)just fkn NO
AngryOldDem
(14,061 posts)He could send chills down your spine.
Dammit. Fuck drugs.
AZSkiffyGeek
(10,787 posts)RIP
Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)Including that show.
Damn it, damn it, damn it ...
Gone too soon ... pass gently MKW
IronLionZion
(45,252 posts)NH Ethylene
(30,793 posts)ananda
(28,780 posts)He was great!
RIP
TallJohn
(27 posts)Legalize drugs and package them in safe clean doses so people don't have to deal with criminal pushers.
ellie
(6,927 posts)So sad.
jalan48
(13,797 posts)He was so good in The Wire. I remember reading he was Obama's favorite actor on that show.
samplegirl
(11,415 posts)Boardwalk Empire!
Sad he was a good actor!
bdamomma
(63,650 posts)I loved his character in Boardwalk Empire, Chalky
iluvtennis
(19,756 posts)sarge43
(28,939 posts)Rest in peace, Mr Williams
nycbos
(6,033 posts)I always love watching him. And I loved Omar he was such a different character than anything that has been done before.
pansypoo53219
(20,906 posts)big bummer.
Ohio Joe
(21,653 posts)RIP
Judi Lynn
(160,211 posts)cemaphonic
(4,138 posts)He put a magnetic intensity into everything I ever saw him in.
littlemissmartypants
(22,417 posts)Response to BradAllison (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
djm5971
(109 posts)I saw him in most of the shows mentioned. He was an awesome actor and will be sorely missed. RIP.