In her speech at the 73rd Emmy Awards, Kerry Washington paid tribute to Michael K. Williams. Williams passed away at the age of 54 earlier this month.
“The nominees for this next award astounded us with each of their uniquely remarkable, memorable performances this past year. But I’d like to take a moment to mention one nominee, in particular, Michael K Williams. Michael was—so crazy to say, was—a brilliantly talented actor and a generous human being who has left us far too soon. Michael, your excellence and artistry will endure. We love you.”
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Michael K. Williams is an actor who played Omar Little in The Wire and Albert “Chalky” White in Boardwalk Empire. Williams was also nominated as a supporting actor in the drama category for his role as Montrose Freeman in HBO’s Lovecraft Country.
Before Sunday night’s ceremony, tributes poured in from Ava DuVernay, Niecy Nash, The Wire creator David Simon, Wendell Pierce, andRiz Ahmed.
Williams was found dead in an NYC apartment on September 6th. Investigators found heroin on the death scene, and an overdose might be the possible cause of death. Williams planned to go to the Emmys this year.
According to a police source of the New York Post, “No foul play indicated” at the scene of the death. “No forced entry; the apartment was in order.”
The star we all know and love from over two decades on the big screen has passed away. Michael K. Williams, best known for his stellar performance in “The Wire” as Omar Little, was found dead Monday afternoon. The cause of death is unknown, though rumor says it is due to a drug overdose in his NYC penthouse.
According to a relative, Williams did not show up to an event on Friday. Since no one had heard from him over the weekend, friends and associates decided to check on him Monday. NY Post reports, he was found unresponsive and cold, there was what appeared to be heroin on the table as he laid face down on the floor.
Just a few months prior, Williams delivered a powerful tribute at the memorial of DMX who had just passed earlier this year of a drug overdose. “It was an honor DMX and I, Jada we just some nappy-headed boys from these greedy streets of New York City. We went after our dream, and we accomplished it. If anybody knows my story I and X are cut from a similar cloth. On some personal shit,” Williams told BET, as he expressed his grief to lose a loved one.
Michael K. Williams Tribute to DMX at the 2021 BET Awards. Rip to both legends ❤️🙏 pic.twitter.com/qt1dSTNLYP
However, he shared a similar struggle with DMX. Of course, most of us know of DMX’s struggles with drug addiction, and Williams openly told NPR back in 2016 that he did as well. “When I wear these characters to the extent I have to wear them to, that energy has to go somewhere,” he said. Indeed, the dark energy of Omar Little, that hit a little too close to home, (per NPR). Williams had expressed the toll of playing the dynamic Little being one of the causes of his drug use.
We pray for his family’s healing and peace in this difficult time.
