The Wire star Michael K. Williams 'may have overdosed on FENTANYL' police sources say as they hunt for his drug dealer: Actor went into therapy after filming latest HBO project Lovecraft Country
Michael K. Williams may have died of a fentanyl overdose inside his Brooklyn penthouse on Monday, leading police to launch an investigation in an effort to find the actor's drug dealer, according to NYPD sources.
The Wire star was found dead by a concerned relative inside his apartment in a Williamsburg high-rise. Police who were summoned to the scene were said to have recovered drug paraphernalia.
Although it was previously reported that heroin may have claimed the life of the 54-year-old Boardwalk Empire alum, two senior NYPD officials told NBC New York that fentanyl was being eyed as the culprit.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. It can cause death when taken in high doses or when combined with other substances.
The medical examiner's office will conduct an autopsy to determine Williams' cause and manner of death.
Michael K. Williams said he started therapy after filming wrapped up on the HBO series Lovecraft Country and Body Brokers during the February 25 Tamron Hall Show and talked about the ongoing journey to recovery
An NYC Medical Examiner's vehicle is seen on Monday leaving the high-rise in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where Williams lived
TMZ reported, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, that police were trying to find the person or people who supplied Williams the drugs.
A spokesperson for the NYPD declined to reveal any additional details on Tuesday, only telling DailyMail.com in an email that the investigation is ongoing.
Williams' death came just six days after he posted a message imploring his fans to not cry for him. He previously revealed that his final film - the movie Body Brokers about a crooked drug treatment center - pushed him to try therapy for the first time.
In a tragic foreshadowing of his death, last week the 54-year-old posted on Instagram a video of Tracy Morgan telling fans 'Don't cry for me. OK', after the comedian's near fatal 2014 limousine crash.
In the video, Morgan said: 'I had a misfortunate accident. Don't cry for me. Cry for all the others, man.'
This comes just less than seven months after Williams revealed that he started therapy for the first time after being deeply affected by his role in Body Brokers - his final film - which delves into the shady underbelly of a ritzy drug-treatment facility.
'I just started therapy, you know, and really taking that seriously and starting to unpack, like you said, the critic in my head and what and how that has affected my - my actions, my responses to certain situations, my relationships,' Williams said during the February 25 Tamron Hall Show.
Williams, who was said to get lost in roles by friends and colleagues, said that doing the movie, where his character is involved in a multi-million drug rehab scam, 'made me sick to my stomach.'
He said it brought back memories of his own battle with addiction, watching TV commercials for 'elaborate, beautiful' recovery centers 'when I was crying myself to sleep and listening to BeBe and CeCe Winans.'
View this post on Instagram
Williams is survived by an adult son named Elijah and was last linked to actress Tasha Smith
'People often think that when a person puts down the drugs or the alcohol, that all the problems go away. 'That couldn't be further from the truth.
'Drugs and alcohol are not the problems' they're merely symptoms of the problem. And once those things go away, the real work begins.
'Working on the character defects, the skewed moral compass. Those are things that need to be addressed. Those are the reasons why we got high in the first place and our inability to deal with life on life's terms.
'For me, when The Wire was coming to an end, I had no legs to stand on. I had stopped doing the work on myself. Shutting down the inner critic in my head, and I went from being a shy, dark-skinned kid from the hood who was a little corny to all of a sudden everybody is like, "Yo, man, I love you."
'But the problem was they were calling me Omar (Williams's character name from The Wire) and not Michael. Omar. Michael. Who gives a damn; it's a name, right? But nah, that was the beginning of me losing myself, losing my identity.'
Last year, Williams played Montrose Freeman in the HBO series 'Lovecraft Country' . He was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the role
On Monday, Williams's nephew Arvance Williams told DailyMail.com that his famous uncle was excited about jetting to Los Angeles to attend the Emmys in less than two weeks time.
He was nominated for the award for his role in last year's HBO drama series 'Lovecraft Country,' for which he was a favorite to win the award.
'I was just with him. I just bought him some fabric so he can go to the Emmys, to put under his blazer. He just got nominated for an Emmy, and he was going to LA, so he was real excited about that,' Arvance Williams told DailyMail.com.
Arvance said Michael was looking forward to being fitted for a suit by Dolce & Gabbana for the award ceremony.
'You guys know him as the actor, we know him as Uncle Mike. We love him.
'My uncle was such a sweet person. A lot of the characters he played as mean and gangster. It was a joke, because he was totally not that way. He was a sweetheart. … A very gentle, gentle person. And I just look at some of the stuff he was doing on and I would just laugh because that's totally not him.'
By late afternoon, a number of Williams' nephews were seen outside the apartment complex. One of the men, Arvance Williams, called the death of his uncle 'heartbreaking'
Another nephew, Booker T. Williams (in glasses), was seen hugging a friend outside the apartment complex
Williams was discovered inside his penthouse apartment, located in the trendy Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg
The expensive complex is located on the waterfront and features sweeping views out over to Manhattan
Williams was best known for his role in the 'The Wire,' which ran from 2002 to 2008. More recently, Williams earned praise for his role in last year's drama, Lovecraft Country, for which he was a favorite to win the award.
HBO said in a statement following the news of Williams's death, saying, 'We are devastated to learn of the passing of Michael K. Williams, a member of the HBO family for more than 20 years.'
NYC's next mayor calls Williams's death a 'terrible tragedy'
Eric Adams, the next New York City mayor and fellow Brooklynite, tweeted about Williams's death.
'It's a terrible tragedy. I was so proud to know Michael K. Williams and even prouder to call him a friend.
'May he Rest In Peace, and may he continue to inspire and capture the hearts of all who looked up to him, as I did.'
'While the world is aware of his immense talents as an artist, we knew Michael as a dear friend who was beloved by all who had the privilege to work with him. We send our deepest condolences to his family for this immeasurable loss.'
Williams is survived by an adult son named Elijah.
The star was last linked to actress Tasha Smith, who last shared a snap of herself with Williams late last year.
Williams was born in East Flatbush, Brooklyn and spent he spent his childhood in the projects surrounded by drugs and violence.
As a young boy, he was sexually molested. He told The New York Times that that experience left him confused about his own sexuality and caused him to be withdrawn.
Williams eventually enrolled in New York City's National Black Theatre, and kickstarted his career as a dancer, scoring parts in music videos by Madonna and George Michael.
On the eve of his 25th birthday, in 1991, Williams attempted to intervene when a group of muggers jumped one of his friends.
One of the attackers pulled out a blade and slashed him, leaving him with a long, distinctive scar down the front of his face and neck.
Williams said that changed the trajectory of his career.
'Things changed immediately after that," Michael Williams told NPR during a 2014 interview.
'Directors didn't want me just to dance in the videos any more. They wanted me to act out these thug roles, you know, like - Mike, roll these - roll these dice in this video. Have this fight in this video. I was like, all right.'
Michael Williams's iconic scar was from defending his friends during barroom brawl at a 'popping' Queens party for his 25th birthday
'There was a popping party going on in Queens. I went outside to get some air, and I saw that two of my other friends were being surrounded by some dudes who I didn't know.
'And it looked like they were about to get jumped. And I said, "Yo, I'm ready to leave. Let's go back. I'm going to go back home now."
'But this one dude kept pacing behind me. He kept walking behind me. He kept like, you know, like sucking his teeth, and I'm looking - I'm like, "Yo - so what's up dude? Yo bro, what's your problem?"
'And the dude wiped his hand across his mouth and just - what I thought appeared to be - smacked me, but what he did was he spit a razor.
'He was positioning the razor in his mouth to get between his middle finger and his ring finger, and then he just went - swiped me down my face, and this cut my face.
'It was actually the first hit of the fight. So we managed to escape with our lives, barely, that night.'
A law enforcement source confirmed to the New York Post that the 54-year-old he was found in his Brooklyn apartment by his nephew on Monday afternoon. Williams is seen on the left during the 'Respect' film premier on August 8, 2021 and on the right as a character from the show Boardwalk Empire
Source: Michael K. Williams 2014 interview with NPR
That's when he landed his role in his debut film 'Bullet' in 1996, when he appeared alongside Tupac Shakur
Three years later, he played a drug dealer in Martin Scorsese's 'Bringing Out the Dead.' He also landed a brief cameo in the HBO hit show 'The Sopranos.'
However, in 2002, he landed the definitive role for his career, playing Omar Little in 'The Wire.'
Williams was open about his struggles with drug addiction. Since the age of 19, he went in and out of clinics to seek treatment.
During his years filming 'The Wire,' Williams relapsed. In 2005, he entered a church in New Jersey seeking help with his drug problem.
'When I came through those doors, I was broken. … This was, I would say, around the … third season of The Wire,' Williams told National Public Radio in 2016.
'I was on drugs. … I was in jeopardy of destroying everything I had worked so hard for,' he stated.
Williams struggled to stay sober during the remaining years that he filmed the show. He recalled meeting Obama while high on cocaine at a campaign rally around the time the show wrapped in 2008.
'Hearing my name come out of his mouth woke me up,' Williams recalled in an interview with The New York Times. 'I realized that my work could actually make a difference.'
Despite his ongoing drug struggles, Williams enjoyed continued success following the conclusion of 'The Wire.'
From 2010 to 2014, he played Chalky White on 'Boardwalk Empire.' He also appeared in films including '12 Years A Slave,' 'Inherent Vice' and 'Motherless Brooklyn.'
In 2019, he returned to the small screen, starring in the Netflix miniseries 'When They See Us,' which earned him another Emmy nod.
Taraji P. Henson and The Wire castmates Wendell Pierce and Isiah Whitlock Jr. lead stars paying tribute to Michael K. Williams after death at 54: 'You will be missed dearly'
Taraji P. Henson and fellow The Wire actors were among those who led celebrity tributes to Michael K. Williams after his death at 54.
Taraji, 50, took to Instagram on Monday to share a video of the five-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee along with a caption which read: 'Rest well my friend. JESUS!!! You will be missed deeply.'
As Williams portrayed iconic character Omar Little on The Wire, several of his castmates from the HBO series also took to social media to honor their former co-star.
'Rest well my friend. JESUS!!! You will be missed deeply': Taraji P. Henson, 50, took to Instagram on Monday to share a video of the five-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee a
Wendell Pierce, who portrayed Detective William 'Bunk' Moreland, over all five seasons shared a thread on Twitter with heartfelt thoughts which began: '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.
'If you don’t know, you better ask somebody. His name was Michael K. Williams. He shared with me his secret fears then stepped out into his acting with true courage, acting in the face of fear, not in the absence of it. It took me years to learn what Michael had in abundance.'
Legend: As Williams portrayed iconic character Omar Little on The Wire, several of his castmates from the HBO series also took to social media to honor their former co-star
'It took me years to learn what Michael had in abundance': Wendell Pierce, who portrayed Detective William 'Bunk' Moreland, over all five seasons shared a thread on Twitter with heartfelt thoughts
'An amazing actor and soul': Isiah Whitlock Jr. - who played State Sen. R. Clayton 'Clay' Davis on the HBO series - also shared some words
He continued by reflecting on their relationship and how their chemistry on screen translated to a real relationship away from the camera.
Pierce explained: 'He was proud of the artist he had become, asking for my advice long after he had surpassed any incite I could have shared.Always truthful, never inauthentic. The kindest of persons. Like two mischievous kids, we would laugh & joke whenever we would meet. Like Baltimore years ago.
'THE WIRE brought us together and immortalized Omar & Bunk in that “scene” on a park bench.But for us we aimed to take that moment in time together and say something about Black men. Our struggle with ourselves, internally, and each other. For me & Mike we had nothing but respect.
'So to you, my brother Mike, there is a small comfort that I know, you knew how much we loved you.'
A law enforcement source confirmed to the New York Post that the 54-year-old he was found in his Brooklyn apartment by his nephew on Monday afternoon. Williams is seen right as a character from the show Boardwalk Empire
'You left us too soon...': Niecy Nash also paid tribute as she shared a gallery of snaps of them together
'Today is a f***ing horrible day': Rosie Perez was obviously shocked by the news
Pierce concluded with a quote from American playwright Arthur Miller.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. - who played State Sen. R. Clayton 'Clay' Davis - wrote: 'One of the nicest brothers on the planet with the biggest heart. An amazing actor and soul. May you RIP. God bless.'
Tray Chaney, who played Malik 'Poot' Carr - posted a photo with the star and said: 'RIP to the legend Michael K Williams aka one of the dopest Actors/Brother in the world. 'I’m off the grid for a while hard to process this one.'
'Just saw you bro': Actress Eva Marcille shared this snap of her with the stae
Williams' nephew discovered the star after he went to visit him at his apartment complex when Williams hadn't been heard from in several days.
Heroin was reportedly found on the star's kitchen table, and other drug paraphernalia was discovered elsewhere on in the apartment.
A police source told The Post: 'No foul play is indicated. There no forced entry, and the apartment was in order.'
Williams, a five-time Emmy nominee, was best known for his role in HBO's The Wire. He played homosexual stick-up man Omar Little in the critically acclaimed series, which ran from 2002 to 2008. President Barack Obama once described The Wire as his favorite show and Omar as his favorite character.
'An actor for the ages': Alec Baldwin, Aisha Tyler, George Takei, Lamorne Morris, Chance The Rapper, James Gunn, and Joel McHale were among the others who paid tribute to the talented star
Williams went on to star in several other hit series, including Boardwalk Empire and Lovecraft Country - for which he is currently nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
The star is survived by a son named Elijah.
Niecy Nash also paid tribute as she shared a gallery of snaps of them together with a sweet caption which read: 'My God Rest well friend @bkbmg You we’re a beautiful soul, a kind spirit & a good time… a talent beyond measure.
'Thank you for the many times we traded energy and you made me feel like family. You left us too soon… Praying for your loved ones #TheWire #WhenTheySeeUs'
Rosie Perez was obviously shocked by the news as she took to Twitter to write: 'WTF!!!! My friend just died!!! And I get a f***ing alert to notify me?! WTF!!!
'Today is a f***ing horrible day! I'm destroyed! #RIPowerandPeace #MichaelKWilliams @BKBMG.'
Alec Baldwin, Aisha Tyler, George Takei, Lamorne Morris, Chance The Rapper, James Gunn, and Joel McHale were among the others who paid tribute to the talented star.
'Why is it always the good ones, god?': Jamie Chung, Kelly Rowland, and Olivia Munn also shared heartfelt messages
Tributes kept pouring in on Monday afternoon from Mariah Carey, who shared three throwback snaps of her posing with Williams.
'A beautiful soul, a beautiful person, I'll miss you always. Thank you for blessing us with your talent,' the singer said in her caption.
She also shared one of the images in her Instagram tribute on Twitter as well.
Throwback: Tributes kept pouring in on Monday afternoon from Mariah Carey, who shared three throwback snaps of her posing with Williams
Beautiful: 'A beautiful soul, a beautiful person, I'll miss you always. Thank you for blessing us with your talent,' the singer said in her caption
Tribute: She also shared one of the images in her Instagram tribute on Twitter as well
Actress Viola Davis also shared a brief video montage of photos of Williams, along with a heartfelt tribute.
'No! So sad. Man do I wish this were a different ending. Rest well. Praying for your loved ones,' Davis said.
Mark Wahlberg also shared a tribute on Twitter, stating, 'RIP Michael K. Williams, so brilliant in #BoardwalkEmpire. You will be missed.'
Tribute: Actress Viola Davis also shared a brief video montage of photos of Williams, along with a heartfelt tribute
Supermodel Joan Smalls also took to Instagram with a touching tribute, which began, 'This one hurt,' with a broken heart emoji.
'I had the honor to work with him and see the caring, humble and giving soul that he was. Inspiring many. Rest in Power #MichaelKWilliams.
Brilliant: Mark Wahlberg also shared a tribute on Twitter, stating, 'RIP Michael K. Williams, so brilliant in #BoardwalkEmpire. You will be missed'
Smalls and Williams worked together on the 2013 music video for A$AP Rocky's video Phoenix.
Rest in power: Supermodel Joan Smalls also took to Instagram with a touching tribute, which began, 'This one hurt,' with a broken heart emoji
Another one of Williams' co-stars, Kerry Washington, who starred alongside him 2007's I Think I Love My Wife and 2008's Miracle at St. Anna, shared a touching tribute.
'So heartbroken. @bkmgn thank you for the beauty and joy you brought to the world,' she began.
'Sending love and prayers to your friends, family and everyone who adored you me included ❤️ We adore you Sir,' she concluded.
Tribute: Another one of Williams' co-stars, Kerry Washington, who starred alongside him 2007's I Think I Love My Wife and 2008's Miracle at St. Anna, shared a touching tribute.
Aaron Paul, who starred alongside Williams in the 2016 crime thriller Triple 9, offered a heartfelt tribute of his own.
'Michael, You embraced this world with a loving heart and a gentle smile. Everyone who knew you would say that you lifted them up with such ease and grace and that they became a better person by simply knowing you. I have had the privilege to know that heart of yours and I am heartbroken to lose it,' Paul began.
'Thank you for chasing your dreams and teaching us all what it means to be decent. Your love for the craft will never be forgotten and I feel honored to have shared the screen with you brother. Wish I told you more of what an impact you had on me. Love and light my friend. Rest In Peace. A,' Paul concluded.
Aaron's tribute: Aaron Paul, who starred alongside Williams in the 2016 crime thriller Triple 9, offered a heartfelt tribute of his own
One of Williams' fellow co-stars on The Wire, Deirdre Lovejoy, who played Assistant State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman, shared a throwback snap of her and Williams.
'My heart is heavy at the loss of this brilliant soul gone too soon,' Lovejoy began in her post.
'His passion and talent will live on through his incredible body of work. R.I.P. #MichaelKWilliams,' she added, with a broken heart emoji.
R.I.P.: One of Williams' fellow co-stars on The Wire, Deirdre Lovejoy, who played Assistant State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman, shared a throwback snap of her and Williams
Leslie Jones didn't mince words in her tribute post on Instagram, adding that learning about Williams' death, 'f***ed me up y'all.'
'Micheal K Williams was a solid dude. He was so nice to me when we did Ghostbusters and we bonded on many levels!!' she added.
'Damn I was just thinking the next time I saw him I was gonna tell him how dope of an actor he is. Damn y’all we lost a good one. Rest in love my brother,' she concluded.
Leslie's tribute: Leslie Jones didn't mince words in her tribute post on Instagram, adding that learning about Williams' death, 'f***ed me up y'all'
Tika Sumpter, who starred with Williams on the 2015 HBO movie Bessie, began her Twitter tribute, 'God, he was a true gem.'
'I was so lucky to be around him and work with him on “Bessie”. He was one of the kindest humans in all ways. Being in #MichaelKWilliams presence was a gift. A true gift. Thank you #michaelkwilliamsRIP,' she concluded.
Watchmen creator shared a photo of Williams as Omar Little from The Wire, adding, 'I only crossed paths with this incandescent talent twice, both times dazzled by his kindness and wit as I stood there, babbling like the superfan I am. This is a great loss. Whatever wonderful realm lies beyond this one, Omar comin'.'
Gem: Tika Sumpter, who starred with Williams on the 2015 HBO movie Bessie, began her Twitter tribute, 'God, he was a true gem'
Omar comin: Watchmen creator shared a photo of Williams as Omar Little from The Wire, adding, 'I only crossed paths with this incandescent talent twice, both times dazzled by his kindness and wit as I stood there, babbling like the superfan I am. This is a great loss. Whatever wonderful realm lies beyond this one, Omar comin'.'
Mandy Moore shared a photo of Williams in an orange tuxedo, praising him as an 'absolute genius,' adding his passing is an 'unbelievable loss.'
The Suicide Squad star Joel Kinnaman shared a photo of Williams on his Instagram story in tribute to his passing.
Colman Domingo, who starred with Williams in Miracle at St. Anna and Time Out of Mind, stated on Twitter, 'Truly gutted on hearing the passing of Michael K. Williams. A tremendous actor.'
Genius: Mandy Moore shared a photo of Williams in an orange tuxedo, praising him as an 'absolute genius,' adding his passing is an 'unbelievable loss'
Tribute: The Suicide Squad star Joel Kinnaman shared a photo of Williams on his Instagram story in tribute to his passing
Tremendous: Colman Domingo, who starred with Williams in Miracle at St. Anna and Time Out of Mind, stated on Twitter, 'Truly gutted on hearing the passing of Michael K. Williams. A tremendous actor'
David Alan Grier shared Variety's news story on Williams' passing, adding, 'Damn! Such a loss! This man was an amazing actor and a beautiful artist gone too soon...'
Director Spike Lee shared a photo of him and Williams at Madison Square Garden cheering on the New York Knicks, with a heartfelt message.
'Whew Lawd,Dis Is A Tough Day-1st We Lose The Great French Actor JEAN PAUL BELMONDO And Now My Brother MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS. Our Brother Passed Away Today In His Home,Da People’s Republic Of Brooklyn. I’m Shook. Drinking A Bottle Of Italian Red Wine-Brunello Di Montalcino By Myself. Our Greats Are Leaving Us Left And Right. GOD BLESS,' Lee said.
Beautiful artist: David Alan Grier shared Variety's news story on Williams' passing, adding, 'Damn! Such a loss! This man was an amazing actor and a beautiful artist gone too soon...'
Spike's tribute: Director Spike Lee shared a photo of him and Williams at Madison Square Garden cheering on the New York Knicks, with a heartfelt message
Ellen Barkin, who starred in the 2009 crime drama Brooklyn's Finest with Williams, tweeted, 'We lost a great talent. What he brought was his and only his. Rest In Peace Michael K Williams.'
Patricia Arquette, who starred alongside Williams in one of his first film roles in 1999's Bringing Out the Dead and in HBO's Boardwalk Empire, offered another Twitter tribute, stating, 'This is utterly devastating. Sweet Michael. You were one of the best actors ever. Rest in Peace.'
Natalie Morales tweeted, 'Michael K. Williams always impressed me with his work, but the scene at the gay club in Lovecraft Country absolutely shattered me into pieces- in the deepest, realest way that art can do. If he had done only that one scene- what a gift. What a gift we got to see so much more.'
Only his: Ellen Barkin, who starred in the 2009 crime drama Brooklyn's Finest with Williams, tweeted, 'We lost a great talent. What he brought was his and only his. Rest In Peace Michael K Williams'
Tribute: Patricia Arquette, who starred alongside Williams in one of his first film roles in 1999's Bringing Out the Dead and in HBO's Boardwalk Empire, offered another Twitter tribute, stating, 'This is utterly devastating. Sweet Michael. You were one of the best actors ever. Rest in Peace'
Impressed: Natalie Morales tweeted, 'Michael K. Williams always impressed me with his work, but the scene at the gay club in Lovecraft Country absolutely shattered me into pieces- in the deepest, realest way that art can do. If he had done only that one scene- what a gift. What a gift we got to see so much more'
Yvette Nicole Brown, who worked with Williams on Community, offered, 'The thing about @BKBMG is that as fierce and foreboding as his characters often were, he as a man couldn't have been more easy-going and lovely. He was good, kind man and so fun to work with. I am sorry to hear of his passing and how.'
Iconic novelist Stephen King tweeted, 'Horrible, sad and unbelievable to think we've lost the fantastically talented Michael K. Williams at the age of 54.'
Actress Samantha Mathis added, 'This makes me so very, very sad. What a huge loss. Rest in power #MichaelKWilliams.'
Passing: Yvette Nicole Brown, who worked with Williams on Community, offered, 'The thing about @BKBMG is that as fierce and foreboding as his characters often were, he as a man couldn't have been more easy-going and lovely. He was good, kind man and so fun to work with. I am sorry to hear of his passing and how'
Stephen tweets: Iconic novelist Stephen King tweeted, 'Horrible, sad and unbelievable to think we've lost the fantastically talented Michael K. Williams at the age of 54'
Rest: Actress Samantha Mathis added, 'This makes me so very, very sad. What a huge loss. Rest in power #MichaelKWilliams'
Actor Steven Canals also took to Twitter with a tribute, stating, 'What a stellar talent. What a great loss. RIP sir #MichaelKWilliams.'
Chairman Fred Hampton Jr., the son of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, shared a photo of him with Williams, stating, 'Long Live Michael K. Williams!'
Alec Baldwin also shared a photo from the Toronto International Film Festival with him and the cast of his film The Public, including Williams, stating, 'At @tiff_net with Emilio and the cast of THE PUBLIC, a film which gave me the great opportunity to meet and work with @bkbmg Rest In Peace.'
Talent: Actor Steven Canals also took to Twitter with a tribute, stating, 'What a stellar talent. What a great loss. RIP sir #MichaelKWilliams'
Chairman: Chairman Fred Hampton Jr., the son of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, shared a photo of him with Williams, stating, 'Long Live Michael K. Williams!'
TIFF: Alec Baldwin also shared a photo from the Toronto International Film Festival with him and the cast of his film The Public, including Williams, stating, 'At @tiff_net with Emilio and the cast of THE PUBLIC, a film which gave me the great opportunity to meet and work with @bkbmg Rest In Peace'
Writer-producer Cheo Hodari Coker (Luke Cage, Creed II) added, 'I can’t believe Michael K Williams is gone. A great actor but an even better man. The loss is unmeasurable.'
One of Williams' Boardwalk Empire co-stars Steven Graham tweeted, 'Michael K Williams… a talent beyond words and a truly beautiful soul, sending you peace and love wherever you may be x.'
Filmmaker Scott Derrickson added, 'I think Michael K Williams' Omar in The Wire was one of the top ten character portrayals in television history.'
Unmeasurable: Writer-producer Cheo Hodari Coker (Luke Cage, Creed II) added, 'I can’t believe Michael K Williams is gone. A great actor but an even better man. The loss is unmeasurable'
Co-star: One of Williams' Boardwalk Empire co-stars Steven Graham tweeted, 'Michael K Williams… a talent beyond words and a truly beautiful soul, sending you peace and love wherever you may be x'
Top ten: Filmmaker Scott Derrickson added, 'I think Michael K Williams' Omar in The Wire was one of the top ten character portrayals in television history'
Wyatt Cenac added, 'Michael K Williams was more than the characters he portrayed. He was someone who used his platform to shine a light on the issues around him and amplify the voices of the people who are often overlooked and disregarded.
Adina Porter, who starred alongside Williams in 2005's Lackwanna Blues, shared a photo of her with Williams, adding, 'I'm shocked. I'm sad. So much talent. Way too young. #RIP Michael K. Williams.
Pee-Wee Herman, a.k.a. Paul Reubens, shared a story about how he got to know Williams in a series of tweets.
Wyatt's tweet: Wyatt Cenac added, 'Michael K Williams was more than the characters he portrayed. He was someone who used his platform to shine a light on the issues around him and amplify the voices of the people who are often overlooked and disregarded
Adina: Adina Porter, who starred alongside Williams in 2005's Lackwanna Blues, shared a photo of her with Williams, adding, 'I'm shocked. I'm sad. So much talent. Way too young. #RIP Michael K. Williams
'I just saw some extremely sad, heartbreaking news. My friend and supremely talented actor Michael K. Williams has died. We met on a film in 2008 and became casual pals. I was excited to meet him having greatly admired his incredible, insightful work in The Wire,' Reubens began.
'Getting to know him, he was everything I’d hoped he might be—funny, serious, deep, sensitive and joyful. He was absolutely beautiful inside and out. He loved to dance. And, that insanely gorgeous smile he had,' Reubens added.
'We connected a couple of times a year, at Christmastime and on his birthday. I sent him a valentine every year on Valentine’s Day, to make sure he knew I loved and cherished him,' he said.
'I’ll miss you very much, Michael, but will certainly not ever forget you. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. Rest In Peace, sweet, sweet man,' he concluded.
Heartbreaking: 'I just saw some extremely sad, heartbreaking news. My friend and supremely talented actor Michael K. Williams has died. We met on a film in 2008 and became casual pals. I was excited to meet him having greatly admired his incredible, insightful work in The Wire,' Reubens began
Everything: 'Getting to know him, he was everything I’d hoped he might be—funny, serious, deep, sensitive and joyful. He was absolutely beautiful inside and out. He loved to dance. And, that insanely gorgeous smile he had,' Reubens added
Connected: 'We connected a couple of times a year, at Christmastime and on his birthday. I sent him a valentine every year on Valentine’s Day, to make sure he knew I loved and cherished him,' he said
Condolences: 'I’ll miss you very much, Michael, but will certainly not ever forget you. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. Rest In Peace, sweet, sweet man,' he concluded
Edward Norton, who directed and starred alongside Williams in his 2019 film Motherless Brooklyn, also shared a heartfelt message in two tweets.
'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,' Norton said.
'He had a really rare gift for being fully present in the moment & for conveying the layers under the words. He ran so deep. He was also kind & generously enthusiastic. I’ll be forever grateful that he graced ‘Motherless Brooklyn’ & that I got to share space & time w him. RIP,' he concluded with a broken heart emoji.
Punched: '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,' Norton said
Rare gift: 'He had a really rare gift for being fully present in the moment & for conveying the layers under the words. He ran so deep. He was also kind & generously enthusiastic. I’ll be forever grateful that he graced ‘Motherless Brooklyn’ & that I got to share space & time w him. RIP,' he concluded with a broken heart emoji
Loss: David Simon, who created the iconic crime series The Wire where Williams played the iconic Omar White, was at a loss for words over Williams' passing
No words: He shared a photo of Williams and added in another tweet, 'Too gutted right now to say all that ought to be said. Michael was a fine man and a rare talent and on our journey together he always deserved the best words. And today those words won't come'
Cedric speaks: Cedric the Entertainer shared a photo of Williams on Instagram, adding, 'Well Damn!! Sorry to hear about the tragic loss of our brother #michaelkwilliams God rest his soul and blessings to his loved ones'
Tragic loss: Actor and director Jonathan Frakes added, 'What a tragic loss. RIP Michael K Williams on Twitter
David Simon, who created the iconic crime series The Wire where Williams played the iconic Omar White, was at a loss for words over Williams' passing.
He shared a photo of Williams and added in another tweet, 'Too gutted right now to say all that ought to be said. Michael was a fine man and a rare talent and on our journey together he always deserved the best words. And today those words won't come.'
Cedric the Entertainer shared a photo of Williams on Instagram, adding, 'Well Damn!! Sorry to hear about the tragic loss of our brother #michaelkwilliams God rest his soul and blessings to his loved ones.'
Actor and director Jonathan Frakes added, 'What a tragic loss. RIP Michael K Williams on Twitter.
The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus, who also starred with Williams in Triple 9, shared a photo on Instagram of the two, adding, 'such sad news what a brilliant dude.'
Chloe Sevigny shared a throwback snap of Williams, adding, 'I *heart emoji* actors #michaelkwilliams #gonetoosoon.'
Singer-actor Usher also shared an image of Williams on his Instagram story, in tribute to his passing.