The title of Eric Monte and Mike Evans’ Norman Lear-produced sitcom Good Times was designed to be welcoming and inclusive. The theme song was a litany of poverty-driven adversity — temporary layoffs, easy credit rip-offs, etc. — interjected with the chorus of “Good Times!,” setting up the story of the Evans family weathering the travails of the Chicago projects with a mix of pride, determination and a whole lot of dysfunctional domestic affection.
The title of Netflix’s new 10-episode animated Good Times has taken on an almost antagonistic quality, since the first trailer was released and devotees of the original blasted those two minutes for being a violation of said original’s style and spirit.
Cavalcade of caricatures! Good Times!
Drug-dealing baby! Good Times!
Executive Producer Seth MacFarlane! Good Times!
Only for adults! Good times!
It’s impossible to review Netflix’s Good Times without starting by saying what it is not — namely,...
The title of Netflix’s new 10-episode animated Good Times has taken on an almost antagonistic quality, since the first trailer was released and devotees of the original blasted those two minutes for being a violation of said original’s style and spirit.
Cavalcade of caricatures! Good Times!
Drug-dealing baby! Good Times!
Executive Producer Seth MacFarlane! Good Times!
Only for adults! Good times!
It’s impossible to review Netflix’s Good Times without starting by saying what it is not — namely,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Actor Idris Elba got his breakthrough role by starring in the hit television series The Wire. But Elba was surrounded by a cast of other talented performers, with one in particular making him nervous.
Idris Elba found this actor incredible to work with Idris Elba | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Although Elba looked back at his time on The Wire fondly, he confided that he never revisited the show. This was partially due to the fact that, similar to many actors, Elba wasn’t keen on watching his own performances.
“In truth, to this day, I’ve never really watched The Wire,” Elba once told Sports Illustrated. “I haven’t seen it–I’m not very good at watching myself. But I’m always really touched when people talk about the performance and, essentially, the whole show.”
However, he wouldn’t have minded rewatching The Wire for the sake of one actor’s performance.
Idris Elba found this actor incredible to work with Idris Elba | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Although Elba looked back at his time on The Wire fondly, he confided that he never revisited the show. This was partially due to the fact that, similar to many actors, Elba wasn’t keen on watching his own performances.
“In truth, to this day, I’ve never really watched The Wire,” Elba once told Sports Illustrated. “I haven’t seen it–I’m not very good at watching myself. But I’m always really touched when people talk about the performance and, essentially, the whole show.”
However, he wouldn’t have minded rewatching The Wire for the sake of one actor’s performance.
- 3/20/2024
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ending the year in signs is the hilarious, adventurous, sharp-tongued era of Sagittarius.
There’s truly nothing like them. They are quirky, mysterious and full of life. While they naturally grab the attention in the room, they feel most comfortable when they’re in their lonesome.
Sagittarius is the jack-of-trades sign; the sign that takes up space in every all industries — whether they be an actor, comedian or a bus driver — their versatility allows them to do it all. And that flexibility helps fuel their “I’ll try anything once” mindset. To them, what is life if you’re not living it to your fullest? The only thing you have to beware of is their slick mouth. Between Sagittarius, Virgo and Aries it’s hard to tell which sign is more brutally honest. Truly, to know Sagittarius is to love them. And if you don’t love…it doesn’t...
There’s truly nothing like them. They are quirky, mysterious and full of life. While they naturally grab the attention in the room, they feel most comfortable when they’re in their lonesome.
Sagittarius is the jack-of-trades sign; the sign that takes up space in every all industries — whether they be an actor, comedian or a bus driver — their versatility allows them to do it all. And that flexibility helps fuel their “I’ll try anything once” mindset. To them, what is life if you’re not living it to your fullest? The only thing you have to beware of is their slick mouth. Between Sagittarius, Virgo and Aries it’s hard to tell which sign is more brutally honest. Truly, to know Sagittarius is to love them. And if you don’t love…it doesn’t...
- 11/22/2023
- by Raquel 'Rocky' Harris
- The Wrap
If your education was only gleaned from the American public school system, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks may be the only Black historical figures you know. The limited overview of the Civil Rights movement and slavery is at stake when schools, government, and other authoritative bodies whitewash dark annals of the country’s foundation in today’s direction of banning the passage of the past to future generations. Yet Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams inhibits America’s violent chapters, taboo portions, and past Presidents from being forgotten in his newest film, Stamped From the Beginning.
His adaptation of scholar Ibram X. Kendi’s book of the same name observes how America imbued concept of race from the 1500s to the present. He deploys a vast archive of past media (including snippets of Omar Little and Officer Alonso Harris reinforcing the criminalization of Black people) that degraded Black people,...
His adaptation of scholar Ibram X. Kendi’s book of the same name observes how America imbued concept of race from the 1500s to the present. He deploys a vast archive of past media (including snippets of Omar Little and Officer Alonso Harris reinforcing the criminalization of Black people) that degraded Black people,...
- 9/12/2023
- by Edward Frumkin
- The Film Stage
A drug dealer was sentenced to ten years in prison for the death of actor Michael K. Williams.
Irvin Cartagena was sentenced for conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analog, according to a news release by the United States Attorney’s office. Cartagena was one of four men charged with being part of a drug trafficking ring that sold the fatal fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams.
Cartagena and the other three defendants, Hector Robles, Luis Cruz and Carlos Macci have been leading a drug operation since 2020, according to investigators.
Cartagena was the person who conducted the “hand-to-hand transaction” with Williams. Despite knowing that Williams’ had died likely from the fentanyl-laced heroin, he and his co-conspirators continued to sell the deadly heroin. Cartagena fled to Puerto Rico, where he was arrested in February 2022. Cartagena and Macci pleaded guilty, while the other two men, Robles and Cruz, pleaded not guilty.
Williams was...
Irvin Cartagena was sentenced for conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analog, according to a news release by the United States Attorney’s office. Cartagena was one of four men charged with being part of a drug trafficking ring that sold the fatal fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams.
Cartagena and the other three defendants, Hector Robles, Luis Cruz and Carlos Macci have been leading a drug operation since 2020, according to investigators.
Cartagena was the person who conducted the “hand-to-hand transaction” with Williams. Despite knowing that Williams’ had died likely from the fentanyl-laced heroin, he and his co-conspirators continued to sell the deadly heroin. Cartagena fled to Puerto Rico, where he was arrested in February 2022. Cartagena and Macci pleaded guilty, while the other two men, Robles and Cruz, pleaded not guilty.
Williams was...
- 8/22/2023
- by Zach Ament
- Uinterview
The Wire creator David Simon has responded to a man being sentenced in the death of actor Michael K. Williams, who played Omar Little in HBO’s drug-war drama.
Carlos Macci, 72, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for being part of a four-man crew that sold a lethal bag of fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams in 2021. According to The New York Times, the judge said that “while she sympathized with Mr. Macci’s troubles, the deadly toll of fentanyl and his decision to keep selling heroin laced with it even after Mr. Williams died demanded accountability.”
Simon previously made headlines by writing a letter to a Manhattan judge arguing that Macci is a victim of the same addiction issues and circumstances that claimed Williams’ life. On Twitter, Simon responded to a user who posted a tabloid headline, saying that Macci was sentenced “despite” Simon “begging for leniency.”
“I wrote a letter,...
Carlos Macci, 72, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for being part of a four-man crew that sold a lethal bag of fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams in 2021. According to The New York Times, the judge said that “while she sympathized with Mr. Macci’s troubles, the deadly toll of fentanyl and his decision to keep selling heroin laced with it even after Mr. Williams died demanded accountability.”
Simon previously made headlines by writing a letter to a Manhattan judge arguing that Macci is a victim of the same addiction issues and circumstances that claimed Williams’ life. On Twitter, Simon responded to a user who posted a tabloid headline, saying that Macci was sentenced “despite” Simon “begging for leniency.”
“I wrote a letter,...
- 7/26/2023
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A drug dealer linked to actor Michael K. Williams’ 2021 overdose death has been found guilty, with a sentence that will put him in prison for less than three years.
On Tuesday, a judge determined that a 71-year-old man “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing your freedom,” pointing to the dealer continuing to sell drugs even after news of Michael K. Williams’ overdose broke. However, the Associated Press noted that the man, Carlos Macci, was “not charged directly in the actor’s death.” Macci had nearly two dozen prior convictions.
Prior to the decision, David Simon – who created The Wire, in which Michael K. Williams starred as Omar Little and knew the late actor well – urged the judge to consider leniency in the sentencing related to the actor’s overdose death. “What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy…But I know that Michael would look...
On Tuesday, a judge determined that a 71-year-old man “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing your freedom,” pointing to the dealer continuing to sell drugs even after news of Michael K. Williams’ overdose broke. However, the Associated Press noted that the man, Carlos Macci, was “not charged directly in the actor’s death.” Macci had nearly two dozen prior convictions.
Prior to the decision, David Simon – who created The Wire, in which Michael K. Williams starred as Omar Little and knew the late actor well – urged the judge to consider leniency in the sentencing related to the actor’s overdose death. “What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy…But I know that Michael would look...
- 7/26/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
A 71-year-old man linked to a crew of drug dealers blamed in the fentanyl-laced heroin death of “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams was sentenced Tuesday to more than two years in prison at a proceeding in which the actor’s nephew recommended compassion for the defendant.
Carlos Macci was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who told Macci that selling heroin and fentanyl “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing your freedom,” in part because he did not stop selling drugs after Williams died.
Read More: Michael K. Williams’ Nephew Gets Candid About His Uncle’s Death From Fentanyl Overdose
Macci had pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess and distribute narcotics.
The judge noted that more than 3,000 fatal overdoses occurred in New York City last year, killing many who never understood the threat they faced from lethal doses of drugs whose components were unclear.
Carlos Macci was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who told Macci that selling heroin and fentanyl “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing your freedom,” in part because he did not stop selling drugs after Williams died.
Read More: Michael K. Williams’ Nephew Gets Candid About His Uncle’s Death From Fentanyl Overdose
Macci had pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess and distribute narcotics.
The judge noted that more than 3,000 fatal overdoses occurred in New York City last year, killing many who never understood the threat they faced from lethal doses of drugs whose components were unclear.
- 7/26/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
Carlos Macci was sentenced on Tuesday to 30 months in prison in connection with the death of The Wire actor Michael K. Williams.
Macci, 72, was part of a group of four men selling drugs out of a Williamsburg apartment and was with the man who sold the actor a bag of fentanyl-laced heroin on Sept. 5, 2021, according to the New York Times.
Williams died of “acute intoxication” from the effects of fentanyl, heroin, p-fluorofentanyl, and cocaine, at his Brooklyn home on Sept. 6. He was 54. The actor was best known for his role...
Macci, 72, was part of a group of four men selling drugs out of a Williamsburg apartment and was with the man who sold the actor a bag of fentanyl-laced heroin on Sept. 5, 2021, according to the New York Times.
Williams died of “acute intoxication” from the effects of fentanyl, heroin, p-fluorofentanyl, and cocaine, at his Brooklyn home on Sept. 6. He was 54. The actor was best known for his role...
- 7/26/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
In a letter to a Manhattan judge, The Wire creator David Simon called the late Michael K. Williams “one of the finest actors with whom I have had the honor to collaborate and one of the most thoughtful, gracious and charitable souls I could ever call a friend.” But he also asks for leniency for a man charged in Williams’ death. Williams, who played stick-up man Omar Little on the HBO drama, died after overdosing on fentanyl-laced heroin in September 2021 at age 54. And Carlos Macci, 71, is one of four people who have been charged in connection with his death, according to The New York Times. According to a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York criminal complaint cited by TVLine, Macci and the three other men — Irvin Cartagena, 40, Hector Robles, 58, and Luiz Cruz, 57 — kept selling their drugs even after learning that Williams had died. Nicole Rivelli/HBO...
- 7/8/2023
- TV Insider
The Wire co-creator and producer David Simon is urging a Manhattan judge to show leniency in sentencing the 71-year-old man who sold the fentanyl that resulted in the 2021 death of Simon’s friend, the Wire actor Michael K. Williams.
In a three-page letter obtained by The New York Times, Simon asks Federal District Court Judge Ronnie Abrams to show mercy in the upcoming sentencing of Carlos Macci, one of four men who has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing the narcotics that took Williams’ life in September 2021.
Related: Michael K. Williams Dies: Star Of ‘The Wire’ And ‘Lovecraft Country’ Was 54
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,” Simon wrote in the letter, according to The Times. “But I know that Michael would look upon the undone and desolate life of Mr. Macci and know two things with certainty: First, that it was Michael who bears the fuller responsibility for what happened.
In a three-page letter obtained by The New York Times, Simon asks Federal District Court Judge Ronnie Abrams to show mercy in the upcoming sentencing of Carlos Macci, one of four men who has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing the narcotics that took Williams’ life in September 2021.
Related: Michael K. Williams Dies: Star Of ‘The Wire’ And ‘Lovecraft Country’ Was 54
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,” Simon wrote in the letter, according to The Times. “But I know that Michael would look upon the undone and desolate life of Mr. Macci and know two things with certainty: First, that it was Michael who bears the fuller responsibility for what happened.
- 7/7/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The Wire creator David Simon has used his famously effective words to ask for leniency in the sentencing of one of the men charged in connection with actor Michael K. Williams’ fatal overdose.
Williams, who played Omar Little on The Wire, was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment on Sept. 6, 2021. He was 54.
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New York City’s medical examiner determined that Williams’ death was an accidental overdose — specifically,...
Williams, who played Omar Little on The Wire, was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment on Sept. 6, 2021. He was 54.
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New York City’s medical examiner determined that Williams’ death was an accidental overdose — specifically,...
- 7/7/2023
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
The Wire co-creator David Simon has taken the unusual step of asking for mercy for a man who’s charged in connection with the death of Michael K. Williams, the late actor from Simon’s acclaimed HBO drama.
Williams, 54, played stick-up man Omar Little in the drug war series. He perished in 2021 from an overdose of fentanyl-laced heroin. Last year, four men were charged in a Manhattan federal court in association with his death.
Authorities said at the time that the men continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight amid apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan, even after knowing that Williams had died from one of their products. One of those men is Carlos Macci, 71, and now Simon is making a case that Macci should receive leniency.
According to The New York Times, Simon sent a three-page letter to a Manhattan judge arguing that Macci is a victim of...
Williams, 54, played stick-up man Omar Little in the drug war series. He perished in 2021 from an overdose of fentanyl-laced heroin. Last year, four men were charged in a Manhattan federal court in association with his death.
Authorities said at the time that the men continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight amid apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan, even after knowing that Williams had died from one of their products. One of those men is Carlos Macci, 71, and now Simon is making a case that Macci should receive leniency.
According to The New York Times, Simon sent a three-page letter to a Manhattan judge arguing that Macci is a victim of...
- 7/7/2023
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
David Simon, the creator of “The Wire,” is advocating for leniency in the case of Carlos Macci, one of the men who sold actor Michael K. Williams the fentanyl-laced drugs that killed him. Simon noted that his relationship with the late Williams “convinces me that he would want me to write this letter.”
A three-page document was part of a filing submitted by the defendant’s lawyer to Federal District Court Judge Ronnie Abrams on Thursday, according to The New York Times.
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,” Simon wrote. “But I know that Michael would look upon the undone and desolate life of Mr. Macci and know two things with certainty: First, that it was Michael who bears the fuller responsibility for what happened.”
He then went on to add, “No possible good can come from incarcerating a 71-year-old soul, largely illiterate, who has himself struggled with a lifetime of addiction.
A three-page document was part of a filing submitted by the defendant’s lawyer to Federal District Court Judge Ronnie Abrams on Thursday, according to The New York Times.
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,” Simon wrote. “But I know that Michael would look upon the undone and desolate life of Mr. Macci and know two things with certainty: First, that it was Michael who bears the fuller responsibility for what happened.”
He then went on to add, “No possible good can come from incarcerating a 71-year-old soul, largely illiterate, who has himself struggled with a lifetime of addiction.
- 7/7/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
David Simon is speaking out over “The Wire” star Michael K. Williams’ death two years since his passing.
Williams, who played queer drug dealer Omar Little in the acclaimed series, died at age 54 of a drug overdose in September 2021. Four men were later arrested in February 2022 and charged with selling the fentanyl-laced heroin that allegedly led to Williams’ death.
“The Wire” co-creator Simon wrote Manhattan judge Ronnie Abrams a three-page letter to grant leniency to one defendant, Carlos Macci, who is 71 years old. Per The New York Times, Simon’s letter was part of the filing on behalf of Macci from his attorney, Benjamin Zeman. Macci, along with the three other defendants, has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing narcotics. The Manhattan probation office recommended a sentence of 10 years.
However, “The Wire” showrunner Simon is stating that Macci is not to blame for Williams’ death.
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,...
Williams, who played queer drug dealer Omar Little in the acclaimed series, died at age 54 of a drug overdose in September 2021. Four men were later arrested in February 2022 and charged with selling the fentanyl-laced heroin that allegedly led to Williams’ death.
“The Wire” co-creator Simon wrote Manhattan judge Ronnie Abrams a three-page letter to grant leniency to one defendant, Carlos Macci, who is 71 years old. Per The New York Times, Simon’s letter was part of the filing on behalf of Macci from his attorney, Benjamin Zeman. Macci, along with the three other defendants, has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing narcotics. The Manhattan probation office recommended a sentence of 10 years.
However, “The Wire” showrunner Simon is stating that Macci is not to blame for Williams’ death.
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,...
- 7/7/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
A drug dealer directly linked to the 2021 overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams has pleaded guilty, potentially facing up to four decades behind bars.
As per the Department of Justice press release, quoting U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, “Irvin Cartagena sold fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy. In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K. Williams.” The attorney elaborated on the effects, citing not just the tragic death of Williams, but the too-common instances of overdoses across the country. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable the dealers who push this poison, exploit addiction, and cause senseless death in our community.” According to the National Safety Council, fentanyl-related deaths saw an increase of more than 25% in 2021 from 2020.
Also quoting from the DOJ’s statement, “Members of the [drug trafficking organization] sold Michael K. Williams heroin,...
As per the Department of Justice press release, quoting U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, “Irvin Cartagena sold fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy. In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K. Williams.” The attorney elaborated on the effects, citing not just the tragic death of Williams, but the too-common instances of overdoses across the country. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable the dealers who push this poison, exploit addiction, and cause senseless death in our community.” According to the National Safety Council, fentanyl-related deaths saw an increase of more than 25% in 2021 from 2020.
Also quoting from the DOJ’s statement, “Members of the [drug trafficking organization] sold Michael K. Williams heroin,...
- 4/8/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
The drug dealer charged in the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday.
Irvin Cartagena, 39, was one of four men charged with selling fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams. Prosecutors claim Cartagena was the dealer who performed the “hand-to-hand transaction” with Williams before the actor died.
> 50 ‘Best’ Celebrity Mugshots – Famous People At Their Lowest
Williams was found dead in his New York City apartment in September 2021. Police also discovered a glassine bag that, according to lab testing, contained heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, lidocaine and caffeine.
The city Medical Examiner’s Officer ruled the death as an accidental overdose. Williams was 54.
Cartagena faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 18.
According to New York police, Cartagena was a member of a Brooklyn-based drug trafficking organization that sold fentanyl-laced heroin.
Carlos Macci, one of Cartagena’s codefendants,...
Irvin Cartagena, 39, was one of four men charged with selling fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams. Prosecutors claim Cartagena was the dealer who performed the “hand-to-hand transaction” with Williams before the actor died.
> 50 ‘Best’ Celebrity Mugshots – Famous People At Their Lowest
Williams was found dead in his New York City apartment in September 2021. Police also discovered a glassine bag that, according to lab testing, contained heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, lidocaine and caffeine.
The city Medical Examiner’s Officer ruled the death as an accidental overdose. Williams was 54.
Cartagena faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 18.
According to New York police, Cartagena was a member of a Brooklyn-based drug trafficking organization that sold fentanyl-laced heroin.
Carlos Macci, one of Cartagena’s codefendants,...
- 4/7/2023
- by Alex Nguyen
- Uinterview
A Brooklyn drug dealer pleaded guilty Wednesday to providing “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams with fentanyl-laced heroin, causing his death.
Irvin Cartagena’s plea to a charge of conspiring to distribute drugs was entered in Manhattan federal court. Sentencing was set by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams for Aug. 18, when Cartagena will face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and the possibility of as many as 40 years.
The famed actor, who also starred in films and other TV series including “Boardwalk Empire”, overdosed in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment in September 2021. Authorities said he died hours after buying the heroin from Cartagena on a Brooklyn sidewalk in a deal that was recorded by a security camera.
Cartagena, 39, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors stipulating that the mix of heroin and fentanyl he sold Williams resulted in his death. His lawyer, Sean Maher, declined comment.
Read More: Michael K.
Irvin Cartagena’s plea to a charge of conspiring to distribute drugs was entered in Manhattan federal court. Sentencing was set by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams for Aug. 18, when Cartagena will face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and the possibility of as many as 40 years.
The famed actor, who also starred in films and other TV series including “Boardwalk Empire”, overdosed in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment in September 2021. Authorities said he died hours after buying the heroin from Cartagena on a Brooklyn sidewalk in a deal that was recorded by a security camera.
Cartagena, 39, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors stipulating that the mix of heroin and fentanyl he sold Williams resulted in his death. His lawyer, Sean Maher, declined comment.
Read More: Michael K.
- 4/6/2023
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
"The Wire" co-creator David Simon often compares the show to a modern Greek tragedy, going so far as to reimagine mythic Gods moved into intractable American institutions. Capitalism, drug dealing, policing, politics, education, and the media are all examined in great detail, giving you a full picture of why the characters are helpless, and fundamentally incapable of changing anything beyond, maybe, their personal situations.
The series is set in Baltimore, which occasionally gave it some difficulties due to the bleak urban picture it painted, but as co-creator Ed Burns said, "we could've taken that show into any city." Burns and Simon just had decades of life and experience in Baltimore from which to draw.
"The Wire" began with a narrow focus that gradually expanded to dig into Baltimore's nooks and crannies. The show's first season mostly focuses on the plights of both the Barksdale criminal organization and the Baltimore P.
The series is set in Baltimore, which occasionally gave it some difficulties due to the bleak urban picture it painted, but as co-creator Ed Burns said, "we could've taken that show into any city." Burns and Simon just had decades of life and experience in Baltimore from which to draw.
"The Wire" began with a narrow focus that gradually expanded to dig into Baltimore's nooks and crannies. The show's first season mostly focuses on the plights of both the Barksdale criminal organization and the Baltimore P.
- 10/22/2022
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
The late, great actor Michael K. Williams was always honest, and his honesty shone through in his portrayal of one of the most indelible TV characters of all time. As Omar Little, the openly gay gangster who ruled the Baltimore streets for five seasons of David Simon's "The Wire," Williams brought gravitas and emotion to a role that in lesser hands could have been a misfire. Yet the actor took the intriguing depth that was already on the script page and elevated them, turning Omar into a man as complex as the lore that would eventually surround his season 5 demise.
Williams' memoir, "Scenes From My Life," was published posthumously this summer, and in it the actor wrote at length about the role of Omar. From the pressure he felt as a Black man representing his community, to the inspiration he took from relatives and local figures he grew up around,...
Williams' memoir, "Scenes From My Life," was published posthumously this summer, and in it the actor wrote at length about the role of Omar. From the pressure he felt as a Black man representing his community, to the inspiration he took from relatives and local figures he grew up around,...
- 9/10/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Michael K Williams admitted that he was “scared to play a gay character” on The Wire due to “stubborn stereotypes”.
The actor, who died in September, rose to fame playing Omar Little in HBO’s crime drama.
In an extract from his posthumous memoir Scenes From My Life shared with The Guardian, Williams said that he had been worried about how playing a gay role would impact his career.
“As for Omar’s homosexuality, it was groundbreaking 20 years ago, and I admit that at first I was scared to play a gay character,” Williams wrote.
“I remember helping my mother carry groceries to her apartment and telling her about this new role that I booked. I knew from the jump he was going to be a big deal. This character is going to change my career,’ I said. ‘But the thing is…’ I hesitated. ‘He’s openly gay.’”
He continued: “‘Well,...
The actor, who died in September, rose to fame playing Omar Little in HBO’s crime drama.
In an extract from his posthumous memoir Scenes From My Life shared with The Guardian, Williams said that he had been worried about how playing a gay role would impact his career.
“As for Omar’s homosexuality, it was groundbreaking 20 years ago, and I admit that at first I was scared to play a gay character,” Williams wrote.
“I remember helping my mother carry groceries to her apartment and telling her about this new role that I booked. I knew from the jump he was going to be a big deal. This character is going to change my career,’ I said. ‘But the thing is…’ I hesitated. ‘He’s openly gay.’”
He continued: “‘Well,...
- 8/28/2022
- by Isobel Lewis
- The Independent - TV
Michael K. Williams reflected on his enduring legacy as Omar Little in HBO’s “The Wire” prior to his death in a newly published memoir.
Five-time Emmy nominee Williams died of a drug overdose in September 2021 at age 54. The “Lovecraft Country” and “Boardwalk Empire” actor portrayed gay drug dealer Omar in “The Wire” from 2002 to 2008.
“As for Omar’s homosexuality, it was groundbreaking 20 years ago, and I admit that at first I was scared to play a gay character,” Williams penned in an excerpt from his memoir “Scenes From My Life” co-authored with Jon Sternfeld, via Vulture. “I think my initial fear of Omar’s sexuality came from my upbringing, the community that raised me, and the stubborn stereotypes of gay characters. Once I realized that Omar was non-effeminate, that I didn’t have to talk or walk in a flamboyant way, a lot of that fear drained away. I made Omar my own.
Five-time Emmy nominee Williams died of a drug overdose in September 2021 at age 54. The “Lovecraft Country” and “Boardwalk Empire” actor portrayed gay drug dealer Omar in “The Wire” from 2002 to 2008.
“As for Omar’s homosexuality, it was groundbreaking 20 years ago, and I admit that at first I was scared to play a gay character,” Williams penned in an excerpt from his memoir “Scenes From My Life” co-authored with Jon Sternfeld, via Vulture. “I think my initial fear of Omar’s sexuality came from my upbringing, the community that raised me, and the stubborn stereotypes of gay characters. Once I realized that Omar was non-effeminate, that I didn’t have to talk or walk in a flamboyant way, a lot of that fear drained away. I made Omar my own.
- 8/26/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
"Breaking" was Michael K. Williams's last film before he died, and his costar John Boyega remembers well the day he met the star on set. "He was bubbly," Boyega said to Variety at the film's Los Angeles premiere on Aug. 24. "The first time I met him, he accidentally walked into my trailer. We spoke, and we cheered each other on, gave each other words of encouragement, which is very important. And from then on, we were on set working. And it was great."
The film's director, Abi Damaris Corbin, also shared some incredibly positive memories of the icon. "He was royalty on our set," Corbin said at the premiere, per Variety. "He was the godfather. He was the king. He turned up when I first met him with Beats [headphones] around his shoulders, because he had already started preparing for the role."
Fellow "Breaking" star Nicole Beharie also recently paid...
The film's director, Abi Damaris Corbin, also shared some incredibly positive memories of the icon. "He was royalty on our set," Corbin said at the premiere, per Variety. "He was the godfather. He was the king. He turned up when I first met him with Beats [headphones] around his shoulders, because he had already started preparing for the role."
Fellow "Breaking" star Nicole Beharie also recently paid...
- 8/26/2022
- by Eden Arielle Gordon
- Popsugar.com
Imitation is the sincerest form of television. The shows being imitated, though, tend to be enormous, world-shaking hits, from I Love Lucy to Friends to Lost. Yet one of the most copied shows of this century has been a series that no one paid attention to when it debuted, that struggled to find viewers — and the favor of its corporate bosses — for all five of its seasons, that won no major awards, and featured no stars (at the time, anyway).
Twenty years ago tonight, the first episode of The Wire aired on HBO.
Twenty years ago tonight, the first episode of The Wire aired on HBO.
- 6/2/2022
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
June 2 marks 20 years since HBO’s legendary crime drama The Wire first aired. And while it’s now thought of as an all-time classic, that wasn’t always evident to audiences early on. To honor its 20 years as a TV staple, let’s talk about how the program evolved and why it remains such an influential work today.
These are the 20 reasons the show is relevant in 2022.
1. Policing As a Broken Institution
The show was one of the first post-9/11 properties to depict police as imperfect individuals rather than flawless heroes, and law enforcement as a thoroughly flawed institution. The motivations of the police officers in The Wire are often immoral and the discussion of how to fix policing in America is one that we are still having two decades later.
2. Its Attention to Dialect
There has been a lot of criticism through the years about the usage of racial...
These are the 20 reasons the show is relevant in 2022.
1. Policing As a Broken Institution
The show was one of the first post-9/11 properties to depict police as imperfect individuals rather than flawless heroes, and law enforcement as a thoroughly flawed institution. The motivations of the police officers in The Wire are often immoral and the discussion of how to fix policing in America is one that we are still having two decades later.
2. Its Attention to Dialect
There has been a lot of criticism through the years about the usage of racial...
- 6/2/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
When you think of anti-heroes of television, the most common names to pop up are Tony Soprano, Omar Little, or Walter White; however, one of the more prominent figures that doesn’t get as much mention is Vic Mackey, a cop who doesn’t play by the rules. The Shield lasted for eight seasons and won two Primetime Emmys during its time on television. However, since the show has gone off the air, dozens of police dramas have flooded the television and movie landscape. With so much content in media in 2022, does the original pilot of the critically acclaimed series hold
Does The Shield Pilot Hold Up 20 Years Later?...
Does The Shield Pilot Hold Up 20 Years Later?...
- 3/25/2022
- by Jeffrey Bowie Jr.
- TVovermind.com
Shows like The Sopranos and The Shield set the benchmark on a new kind of hero: the anti-hero, which is a morally complex character who has the intentions of doing something good but does questionable actions that challenge the duality that a traditional hero would never do. Television today is filled to the brim with anti-heroes, but the true question is, which five stand tall as the best? This list will highlight the five best anti-heroes in television history. I’ve opted to exempt Tony Soprano, Omar Little, and Dexter Morgan from the list. They’re without a doubt some of television’s
The Top Five Anti-Heroes On Television...
The Top Five Anti-Heroes On Television...
- 3/13/2022
- by Jeffrey Bowie Jr.
- TVovermind.com
Four people have been arrested on federal charges stemming from the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams last September, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York announced on Wednesday.
Irvin Cartagena, 39, is accused of selling heroin laced with fentanyl to Williams in Manhattan on Sept. 5, the day before Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment. Three others — Hector Robles, 57, Luis Cruz, 56, and Carlos Macci, 70 — were also arrested on a charge of heroin and fentanyl conspiracy.
Williams rose to stardom with his performance as Omar Little on “The Wire,” and later appeared in “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Night Of” and “Lovecraft Country.” In interviews, he was candid about his struggles with addiction. He was 54.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators were able to trace Williams’ car using license-plate reader data, as well as location data from his phone, and discovered that he had traveled to a location in...
Irvin Cartagena, 39, is accused of selling heroin laced with fentanyl to Williams in Manhattan on Sept. 5, the day before Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment. Three others — Hector Robles, 57, Luis Cruz, 56, and Carlos Macci, 70 — were also arrested on a charge of heroin and fentanyl conspiracy.
Williams rose to stardom with his performance as Omar Little on “The Wire,” and later appeared in “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Night Of” and “Lovecraft Country.” In interviews, he was candid about his struggles with addiction. He was 54.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators were able to trace Williams’ car using license-plate reader data, as well as location data from his phone, and discovered that he had traveled to a location in...
- 2/2/2022
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Tobias Menzies, who won the best supporting actor in a drama award at Sunday’s Primetime Emmys, dedicated his win to the late Lovecraft Country star Michael K. Williams, who was considered the frontrunner for the honor.
Menzies, who was not in attendance at the ceremony to accept his award, was nominated for his role as Prince Philip in Netflix’s royal family drama The Crown, one of the night’s big drama winners. The actor took to Twitter following the Sunday event to share his thoughts on his win, which he ultimately dedicated to Williams, specifically citing his role as Omar Little in The Wire.
“Very ...
Menzies, who was not in attendance at the ceremony to accept his award, was nominated for his role as Prince Philip in Netflix’s royal family drama The Crown, one of the night’s big drama winners. The actor took to Twitter following the Sunday event to share his thoughts on his win, which he ultimately dedicated to Williams, specifically citing his role as Omar Little in The Wire.
“Very ...
- 9/21/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The best tribute to Michael K. Williams on Emmys night arrived courtesy of the Baltimore Ravens, not the Television Academy. While the Emmys snubbed Williams for his work on “Lovecraft Country” in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category (the prize went to Tobias Menzies from “The Crown” instead), the NFL team honored the late actor by blasting Omar Little’s trademark “Farmer in the Dell” whistle into M&t Bank Stadium (see video below). Williams starred as Omar on all five seasons of HBO’s “The Wire.” The series is set in Baltimore. Omar’s whistle was blasted during the Ravens’ home opener, the first home game in Baltimore since Williams’ passing.
While Williams lost out on the Emmy, he did get a brief tribute from Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category presenter Kerry Washington. The actress choked up while referring to Williams in past...
While Williams lost out on the Emmy, he did get a brief tribute from Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category presenter Kerry Washington. The actress choked up while referring to Williams in past...
- 9/20/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The late Michael K. Williams made his presence felt in Baltimore once more on Sunday night after the Ravens’ used his character Omar Little’s iconic signature whistle as part of their pre-game introductions.
Before they faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Ravens’ first home opener and first game with a sold-out arena since the 2019 season, the sound of Omar whistling “The Farmer in the Dell” echoed around the M&t Bank Stadium.
The whistled tune was an emblematic aspect of Omar’s character in HBO’s The Wire, which was set in Baltimore.
For Omar...
Before they faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Ravens’ first home opener and first game with a sold-out arena since the 2019 season, the sound of Omar whistling “The Farmer in the Dell” echoed around the M&t Bank Stadium.
The whistled tune was an emblematic aspect of Omar’s character in HBO’s The Wire, which was set in Baltimore.
For Omar...
- 9/20/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The late Michael K. Williams made his presence felt in Baltimore once more on Sunday night after the Ravens’ used his character Omar Little’s iconic signature whistle as part of their pre-game introductions.
Before they faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Ravens’ first home opener and first game with a sold-out arena since the 2019 season, the sound of Omar whistling “The Farmer in the Dell” echoed around the M&t Bank Stadium.
The whistled tune was an emblematic aspect of Omar’s character in HBO’s The Wire, which was set in Baltimore.
For Omar...
Before they faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Ravens’ first home opener and first game with a sold-out arena since the 2019 season, the sound of Omar whistling “The Farmer in the Dell” echoed around the M&t Bank Stadium.
The whistled tune was an emblematic aspect of Omar’s character in HBO’s The Wire, which was set in Baltimore.
For Omar...
- 9/20/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Emmys voters didn’t adore “WandaVision” as much as the rest of us did.
While the Disney Plus series from Marvel Studios took home three awards at the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend — for production, costume design and music — the action series was completely shut out of the Primetime Emmys, which were held in a tent in Los Angeles on Sunday night. Fans and critics alike loved the inventive show this past winter, in which Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) eventually faced her grief from losing Vision (Paul Bettany).
“WandaVision” winning no major awards Sunday night, after receiving 23 total nominations, proved to be the biggest snub of the show. The series was predicted to win at least two awards for acting: both Kathryn Hahn and Bettany were heavily tipped as favorites in their categories for limited series drama.
The biggest winners from Sunday’s show? “The Crown” and “The Queen’s Gambit,” which...
While the Disney Plus series from Marvel Studios took home three awards at the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend — for production, costume design and music — the action series was completely shut out of the Primetime Emmys, which were held in a tent in Los Angeles on Sunday night. Fans and critics alike loved the inventive show this past winter, in which Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) eventually faced her grief from losing Vision (Paul Bettany).
“WandaVision” winning no major awards Sunday night, after receiving 23 total nominations, proved to be the biggest snub of the show. The series was predicted to win at least two awards for acting: both Kathryn Hahn and Bettany were heavily tipped as favorites in their categories for limited series drama.
The biggest winners from Sunday’s show? “The Crown” and “The Queen’s Gambit,” which...
- 9/20/2021
- by Kate Aurthur and Ramin Setoodeh
- Variety Film + TV
“The Wire” creator David Simon paid tribute to late actor Michael K. Williams (who died September 6) in a heartfelt essay published by The New York Times. Williams was one of the breakthrough performers on the acclaimed HBO drama series as Omar Little. The character was initially slated to have a seven-episode arc during the show’s first season, but Williams’ portrayal was so admired that Simon extended the character through the entire run of the series. Williams even reprised Omar years after “The Wire” ended as a favor to Simon, who was sponsoring a charity event for New Orleans and Baltimore musicians.
“Wendell Pierce, an actor native to New Orleans, would hype the local acts in the guise of his ‘Treme’ character. I asked Mike [Michael K. Williams] to fly down, on almost no notice, and intro the Baltimore acts in the persona of Omar Little,” Simon wrote in his Times essay. “He was there at the asking.
“Wendell Pierce, an actor native to New Orleans, would hype the local acts in the guise of his ‘Treme’ character. I asked Mike [Michael K. Williams] to fly down, on almost no notice, and intro the Baltimore acts in the persona of Omar Little,” Simon wrote in his Times essay. “He was there at the asking.
- 9/13/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Michael K. Williams was remembered in a powerful essay written by The Wire creator David Simon over the weekend, which explained how important the iconic HBO series was to the actor. Simon also spoke of the last time Williams played Omar Little.
The beloved Williams died Sept. 6. He was 54.
In his piece published Sunday in the New York Times, Simon noted that he asked Williams to play his iconic character one more time years after the series was over as a favor while Simon was sponsoring a battle-of-the-bands for charity featuring New Orleans and Baltimore musicians.
“Wendell Pierce, an actor native to New Orleans, would hype ...
The beloved Williams died Sept. 6. He was 54.
In his piece published Sunday in the New York Times, Simon noted that he asked Williams to play his iconic character one more time years after the series was over as a favor while Simon was sponsoring a battle-of-the-bands for charity featuring New Orleans and Baltimore musicians.
“Wendell Pierce, an actor native to New Orleans, would hype ...
- 9/13/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Michael K. Williams was remembered in a powerful essay written by The Wire creator David Simon over the weekend, which explained how important the iconic HBO series was to the actor. Simon also spoke of the last time Williams played Omar Little.
The beloved Williams died Sept. 6. He was 54.
In his piece published Sunday in the New York Times, Simon noted that he asked Williams to play his iconic character one more time years after the series was over as a favor while Simon was sponsoring a battle-of-the-bands for charity featuring New Orleans and Baltimore musicians.
“Wendell Pierce, an actor native to New Orleans, would hype ...
The beloved Williams died Sept. 6. He was 54.
In his piece published Sunday in the New York Times, Simon noted that he asked Williams to play his iconic character one more time years after the series was over as a favor while Simon was sponsoring a battle-of-the-bands for charity featuring New Orleans and Baltimore musicians.
“Wendell Pierce, an actor native to New Orleans, would hype ...
- 9/13/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSAbove: Anna Karina and Jean-Paul Belmondo on the set of Pierrot Le Fou (1965). Jean-Paul Belmondo has died, leaving behind six decades of films that started with his breakout role in Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless (1960). In his tribute to the iconic actor, critic Richard Brody describes Belmondo as the "height of cool [...] an icon of a cinema to which he didn't belong." The world has also been shocked by the death of the singular actor Michael K. Williams. Known to many as Omar Little from The Wire, Williams also worked with auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson, Ava Duvernay, Martin Scorsese, and Steve McQueen. As his The Wire co-star Wendall Pierce says, Williams gave "voice to the human condition."Mondo is kicking off its Mondo x Death Waltz 10th Anniversary celebration with a deluxe reissue of...
- 9/10/2021
- MUBI
Stars are paying tribute to Michael K. Williams following his death. On Sept. 6, the actor's publicist, Marianna Shafran, confirmed the news in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter: "It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy-nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams. They ask for your privacy while grieving this insurmountable loss." Williams was well-known for his role as Omar Little on The Wire, which aired from 2002 to 2008 and starred in a number of other projects since, including Lovecraft Country, which earned him an Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series.
Shortly after his death was announced, costars, friends, and fans of the actor began posting heartfelt tributes on social media. Director Ava DuVernay, who worked with Michael on When They See Us, remembered Michael's legacy on Instagram, writing, "Maya Angelou once said, your legacy lives on in every life you touch.
Shortly after his death was announced, costars, friends, and fans of the actor began posting heartfelt tributes on social media. Director Ava DuVernay, who worked with Michael on When They See Us, remembered Michael's legacy on Instagram, writing, "Maya Angelou once said, your legacy lives on in every life you touch.
- 9/7/2021
- by Kelsie Gibson
- Popsugar.com
When my friends and I first watched “The Wire,” we’d call each other by the characters’ names. If you said something dumb, you’d be Prezbo. If you were smart enough to guess what happened next, then you got to be Lester. And whenever someone had a few too many sips of whiskey and fell asleep before the episode ended, well, they knew they’d be McNulty until the next viewing. But one name was never shared: Omar. No one was Omar Little because, even in jest, no one could be.
So commanding and ominous, yet vulnerable and charismatic, Michael Kenneth Williams would come to imbue each of these traits into an array of inimitable characters across film and television. Few TV fans will forget his work as Chalky White on “Boardwalk Empire,” Freddy Knight in “The Night Of,” Bobby McCray in “When They See Us,” or Leonard Pine in “Hap and Leonard,...
So commanding and ominous, yet vulnerable and charismatic, Michael Kenneth Williams would come to imbue each of these traits into an array of inimitable characters across film and television. Few TV fans will forget his work as Chalky White on “Boardwalk Empire,” Freddy Knight in “The Night Of,” Bobby McCray in “When They See Us,” or Leonard Pine in “Hap and Leonard,...
- 9/7/2021
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Michael K. Williams, who died Monday at 54, rose from Madonna background dancer to in-demand actor who was nominated for five Emmy Awards. To see a gallery featuring some of his most famous scene-stealing roles, click on the photo above — a shot of Williams’ signature Omar Little character from HBO’s The Wire.
Immediately identifiable by the scar that ran from the middle of his forehead to the right side of his mouth, Williams specialized in playing hardened men few were interested in messing with.
Several of his most popular projects were done for HBO: Along with playing the terrifying Omar in the 2000s series The Wire — how many of you have never heard “The Farmer in the Dell” quite the same since? — gangster Chalky White in period drama Boardwalk Empire, influential inmate Freddy Knight in limited The Night Of, Jack Gee in Bessie and Montrose Freeman in last year’s Lovecraft Country.
Immediately identifiable by the scar that ran from the middle of his forehead to the right side of his mouth, Williams specialized in playing hardened men few were interested in messing with.
Several of his most popular projects were done for HBO: Along with playing the terrifying Omar in the 2000s series The Wire — how many of you have never heard “The Farmer in the Dell” quite the same since? — gangster Chalky White in period drama Boardwalk Empire, influential inmate Freddy Knight in limited The Night Of, Jack Gee in Bessie and Montrose Freeman in last year’s Lovecraft Country.
- 9/7/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
They hear him before they see him, but they know who he is, and they’re terrified. He is whistling “The Farmer in the Dell,” and by the time he swaggers around the corner of the West Baltimore block, a shotgun visibly dangling beneath his trademark grey duster, Omar Little has sent an entire drug crew scurrying. They sprint down a nearby alley, right into the trap the larger-than-life stickup artist has laid for them, and when he gets a look at a gaudy necklace hanging from the leader’s neck,...
- 9/6/2021
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Michael K. Williams has died at 54. The actor's publicist, Marianna Shafran, confirmed the news in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter on Sept. 6: "It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy-nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams. They ask for your privacy while grieving this insurmountable loss."
The onscreen veteran and television legend had a career that spanned decades. Following more minor roles on The Sopranos and Law & Order, Williams landed his breakout performance as Omar Little on The Wire, which aired from 2002 to 2008. The Shakespearean stick-up man is considered to be among the greatest characters in television history.
Williams went on to appear on Boardwalk Empire, The Night Of, When They See Us, and Bessie. His recent performance as Montrose Freeman on Lovecraft Country earned him a nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series at the Emmy Awards on Sept. 19. The...
The onscreen veteran and television legend had a career that spanned decades. Following more minor roles on The Sopranos and Law & Order, Williams landed his breakout performance as Omar Little on The Wire, which aired from 2002 to 2008. The Shakespearean stick-up man is considered to be among the greatest characters in television history.
Williams went on to appear on Boardwalk Empire, The Night Of, When They See Us, and Bessie. His recent performance as Montrose Freeman on Lovecraft Country earned him a nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series at the Emmy Awards on Sept. 19. The...
- 9/6/2021
- by Kelsey Garcia
- Popsugar.com
Tributes have been pouring in Monday for Michael K Williams, the Emmy-nominated actor best known for playing Omar Little on The Wire. Williams died Monday at his Brooklyn home, his family said. He was 54.
Remembrances came from several of Williams’ co-stars on The Wire, the groundbreaking, David Simon-created HBO series that ran five seasons from 2002-2008, including from Wendell Pierce, Domenick Lombardozzi and Simon, who tweeted a photo of Williams along with a short post that he was “too gutted right now to say all that ought to be said.”
Pierce, who played Detective William “Bunk” Moreland on the series, was notably poignant in his Twitter thread.
Michael K. Williams: A Career In Pictures
“His name was Michael K. Williams,” Pierce said in the long thread (read it below), which also cited an iconic scene in Season 3 of The Wire on a park bench. “He shared with me his...
Remembrances came from several of Williams’ co-stars on The Wire, the groundbreaking, David Simon-created HBO series that ran five seasons from 2002-2008, including from Wendell Pierce, Domenick Lombardozzi and Simon, who tweeted a photo of Williams along with a short post that he was “too gutted right now to say all that ought to be said.”
Pierce, who played Detective William “Bunk” Moreland on the series, was notably poignant in his Twitter thread.
Michael K. Williams: A Career In Pictures
“His name was Michael K. Williams,” Pierce said in the long thread (read it below), which also cited an iconic scene in Season 3 of The Wire on a park bench. “He shared with me his...
- 9/6/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Wendell Pierce has paid heartfelt tribute to The Wire co-star Michael K. Williams, who on Monday was found dead at the age of 54.
Pierce played Detective Bunk Moreland to Williams’ Omar Little, with the duo’s bench scene in Season 3’s “Homecoming” (embedded below) often cited as one of the acclaimed HBO crime drama’s very best moments.
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“The depth of my love for this brother, can only be matched...
Pierce played Detective Bunk Moreland to Williams’ Omar Little, with the duo’s bench scene in Season 3’s “Homecoming” (embedded below) often cited as one of the acclaimed HBO crime drama’s very best moments.
More from TVLineTiger King's Erik Cowie Dead at 52TVLine Items: Lego Star Wars' Spooky Trailer, Janet Doc Teaser and MoreMichael K. Williams, of The Wire and Lovecraft Country, Dead at 54
“The depth of my love for this brother, can only be matched...
- 9/6/2021
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
My favorite scene in The Wire is partially built on a lie. It’s the second-season sequence in which Omar Little is put on the witness stand and shady lawyer Maurice Levy tries to assault his credibility. Omar turns the tables on Levy by declaring that they’re both part of the same hypocrisy, famously declaring, “I got the shotgun, you got the briefcase. It’s all in the game, though, right?”
Were Omar Little merely a gangster with a code, he’d be one of a half-dozen characters fitting that description on The Wire alone. He’d be an archetype....
Were Omar Little merely a gangster with a code, he’d be one of a half-dozen characters fitting that description on The Wire alone. He’d be an archetype....
My favorite scene in The Wire is partially built on a lie. It’s the second-season sequence in which Omar Little is put on the witness stand and shady lawyer Maurice Levy tries to assault his credibility. Omar turns the tables on Levy by declaring that they’re both part of the same hypocrisy, famously declaring, “I got the shotgun, you got the briefcase. It’s all in the game, though, right?”
Were Omar Little merely a gangster with a code, he’d be one of a half-dozen characters fitting that description on The Wire alone. He’d be an archetype....
Were Omar Little merely a gangster with a code, he’d be one of a half-dozen characters fitting that description on The Wire alone. He’d be an archetype....
Michael K. Williams, the enigmatic performer whose work included “The Wire” and a recent Emmy nomination for “Lovecraft Country,” has died at the age of 54. Law enforcement confirmed the news to the media. Representatives for Williams said, “It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams. They ask for your privacy while grieving this unsurmountable loss.”
The actor was discovered in the living room of his Williamsburg apartment by his nephew. It was said that Williams possibly died of a drug overdose, with police saying no foul play is suspected. Williams had been vocal over the years about his struggles with substance abuse. The actor, a five-time Emmy nominee, recently received a nomination for his role as Montrose Freeman in the HBO drama “Lovecraft Country.”
Williams was a Brooklyn native raised in East Flatbush. He was discovered by rapper Tupac Shakur...
The actor was discovered in the living room of his Williamsburg apartment by his nephew. It was said that Williams possibly died of a drug overdose, with police saying no foul play is suspected. Williams had been vocal over the years about his struggles with substance abuse. The actor, a five-time Emmy nominee, recently received a nomination for his role as Montrose Freeman in the HBO drama “Lovecraft Country.”
Williams was a Brooklyn native raised in East Flatbush. He was discovered by rapper Tupac Shakur...
- 9/6/2021
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
According to the New York Post, Michael K. Williams has passed away, possibly of an overdose.
The Post learned from Law Enforcement that the 54-year-old Lovecraft Country actor was found in his Brooklyn apartment by his nephew.
While there isn't an official cause of death, there was drug paraphernalia in the apartment, suggesting a possible overdoe.
The star had been open about his personal struggle with drugs, revealing in an interview with NPR in 2016 that he went to a church in New Jersey to get help for his addiction.
“When I came through those doors, I was broken. … This was, I would say, around the … third season of The Wire, ” Williams said.
“I was on drugs. … I was in jeopardy of destroying everything I had worked so hard for, and I came in those doors, and I met a man who had never even heard of ‘The Wire,’ much less watched it,...
The Post learned from Law Enforcement that the 54-year-old Lovecraft Country actor was found in his Brooklyn apartment by his nephew.
While there isn't an official cause of death, there was drug paraphernalia in the apartment, suggesting a possible overdoe.
The star had been open about his personal struggle with drugs, revealing in an interview with NPR in 2016 that he went to a church in New Jersey to get help for his addiction.
“When I came through those doors, I was broken. … This was, I would say, around the … third season of The Wire, ” Williams said.
“I was on drugs. … I was in jeopardy of destroying everything I had worked so hard for, and I came in those doors, and I met a man who had never even heard of ‘The Wire,’ much less watched it,...
- 9/6/2021
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
Michael K. Williams, the actor who portrayed stickup-man-cum-antihero Omar Little in The Wire and racketeer Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire, died Monday inside his Brooklyn home at the age of 54. Williams’ rep, Marianna Shafran, confirmed the actor’s death to Rolling Stone. A rep for the New York Police Department added that Williams was found dead in his home in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn at approximately 2 p.m. A cause of death was not immediately revealed, pending the results of the city’s medical examiner.
“It is with deep...
“It is with deep...
- 9/6/2021
- by Jason Newman
- Rollingstone.com
Michael K. Williams of The Wire fame was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment on Monday. He was 54.
“It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams,” a rep for the actor’s family told THR. “They ask for your privacy while grieving this insurmountable loss.”
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Drug paraphernalia was reportedly found Williams’ apartment, according to the New York Post and Daily News.
“It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams,” a rep for the actor’s family told THR. “They ask for your privacy while grieving this insurmountable loss.”
More from TVLineTiger King's Erik Cowie Dead at 52TVLine Items: Lego Star Wars' Spooky Trailer, Janet Doc Teaser and MoreMichael K. Williams Remembered by The Wire Co-Star Wendell Pierce as 'Always Truthful, Never Inauthentic'
Drug paraphernalia was reportedly found Williams’ apartment, according to the New York Post and Daily News.
- 9/6/2021
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
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