American actor Michael K. Williams, best known for his beloved role as Omar Little in HBO’s The Wire, has passed away aged 54, The New York Post has revealed.
According to reports, Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment today by his nephew. A cause of death is yet to be confirmed, but drug paraphernalia was found on the property, suggesting a possible overdose.
Born in Brooklyn, Williams began his career as a dancer and was cast in 1996’s Bullet after being discovered by Tupac Shakur. He would go on to gain widespread recognition from his role as Omar in The Wire, and later reunited with HBO for Boardwalk Empire and last year’s Lovecraft Country.
On the big screen, Williams appeared in the likes of 12 Years a Slave, Kill the Messenger, Inherent Vice, The Gambler, Triple 9, and Assassin’s Creed while other TV credits include Community, The Night Of, Hap and Leonard and When They See Us.