Public tributes poured out for Michael Okay. Williams from his peers following news of his death on Monday (Sept. 6). The actor turned into found unresponsive by his nephew in his Brooklyn residence. Williams’ surprising passing at age 56 turned into confirmed by his publicist, Marianna Shafran, who issued the next commentary:
“It is with deep sorrow that the family publicizes the passing of Emmy nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams. They ask to your privateness whereas grieving this insurmountable loss.”
Among folks who honored Williams thru social media were his castmates and crew on The Wire. The acclaimed fictional sequence served as Williams’ breakout function as he starred as Omar Runt in the HBO sequence.
“The depth of my esteem for this brother, can most intelligent be matched by the depth of my distress studying of his loss,” wrote Wendell Pierce on Twitter. “A immensely talented man with the flexibility to supply convey to the human condition portraying the lives of those whose humanity is seldom elevated until he sings their fact.”
He persevered, “THE WIRE introduced us together and immortalized Omar & Bunk in that ‘scene’ on a park bench.However for us we aimed to exercise that 2nd in time together and convey something about Dark males. Our fight with ourselves, internally, and each other. For me & Mike we had nothing but appreciate.”
Priscilla Grant/Everett Sequence
Williams’ The Wire castmates Isiah Whitlock Jr., Tray Chaney, Domenick Lombardoozi, and creator David Simon also shared heartfelt messages online.
“I will’t… I’m crushed. No words. I love you bro,” wrote Chaney. “RIP to the tale Michael Okay Williams aka one of many dopest Actors/Brother on this planet. #Omar #TheWIRE FOR LIFE. I’m off the grid for a whereas interesting to assignment this one. I love you bro smh damn.”
“Alarmed and saddened by the death of Michael Okay Williams,” expressed Whitlock Jr. “One of the well-known nicest brothers on the earth with essentially the most intelligent coronary heart. An ideal actor and soul. Could well additionally simply you RIP. God bless.”
Lombardozzi tweeted, “Michael Okay Williams I knew turned into form. Dazzling. Easy. And big fking talented. I’ll admire our talks and I’ll miss him critically. My deepest condolences to the Williams family. Leisure my pal.”
Simon shared an picture of Williams in a standalone tweet and added, “Too gutted gorgeous now to convey all that needs to be talked about. Michael turned into a dazzling man and a rare skills and on our poke together he consistently deserved essentially the most intelligent words. And recently those words won’t reach.”
Too gutted gorgeous now to convey all that needs to be talked about. Michael turned into a dazzling man and a rare skills and on our poke together he consistently deserved essentially the most intelligent words. And recently those words won’t reach.
— David Simon (@AoDespair) September 6, 2021
More tributes for the Brooklyn native came from of us who worked with Williams, as successfully as to of us who had now not, but were followers of his work and inspired by his skills.
“Michael Okay Williams turned into a excellent looking out, passionate, substantial soul,” wrote actress Aisha Tyler. “I felt so lucky to have known him, and we were all so lucky to have loved his mighty skills. He burned so very colorful.”
“I met Michael Okay. Williams about 8 years previously after I turned into quiet a background actor and man turned into he cool,” shared Batwoman megastar Camrus Johnson. “He’s been one of many dusky actors I’ve been in a spot to scrutinize as a lot as ever since, and I will’t say he’s long gone already. We lost one other one dang. Leisure In peace.”
Director Spike Lee shared a touching Instagram post in Williams’ honor. “Our Greats Are Leaving Us Left And Correct. GOD BLESS,” he wrote in an initial add, sharing a picture of the 2 males playing a Sleek York Knicks game courtside. In a apply-up post, Lee shared a video of Williams exclaiming his esteem for his residing of start of Brooklyn.
“Let’s Celebrate Our Inventive Soldier MICHAEL Okay. WILLIAMS. We Occupy Lost Too, Too Many Of Our Sista’s And Brotha’s Too, Too Early. Blessings, Prayers And Condolences To His Family. GOD BLESS,” wrote Lee.
“Michael worked interesting in his work and throughout his lifestyles. He shared with us all how interesting he tried to map sustained sobriety. I know Michael, the person, would desire his lifestyles to attend as a predominant, teachable lesson for somebody who is in the midst of the very precise fight against addiction. As sophisticated as this 2nd is for us all, Michael has found peace,” wrote Courtney B. Vance on Instagram.
He persevered, “He turned into a GIANT of a person! Only my faith sustains me in times love these. And Michael LOVED the Lord. I sent him our Scriptures daily and he spoke back daily. JESUS!!!! Michael, that you just might per chance perchance consistently be remembered by so many to your items as an actor but a ways more importantly, that you just might per chance perchance be remembered for being an fundamental, form man. I love you, my brother. Leisure in Peace.”
Ava DuVernay shared recollections of her time working with Michael Okay. Williams on the groundbreaking miniseries When They Leer Us.
“I take into accout the times you’d reach on location even when you weren’t on the name sheet. Factual to fragment a hug. To cheer us on. Strolling in love the King that you just were. For beautiful a flash to supply some esteem – then long gone. I take into accout nights out in NYC that summer and the design in which you were so cherished by the folks in your city,” she recalled.
Her post persevered, “I take into accout our work on the work, consistently linked and speaking and excavating [sic] and building on memoir of you were so open and in a spot to supply your all. I take into accout you sending me a picture of yourself as a young man and sharing with me that the boys whose tale we were telling were a reflection of you – and we were going to acquire it gorgeous. I take into accout you taking the young actors to the ocean trot in your have and talking to them about things I couldn’t – about being a young, Dark man in Sleek York on the time – and the design in which grateful I turned into.”
Williams is survived by his mother, Paula Williams, his brother, Paul Carey, and his nephew, Dominic Dupont. Look for a plump spherical-up of tributes to the leisurely actor below:
THE WIRE introduced us together and immortalized Omar & Bunk in that “scene” on a park bench.However for us we aimed to exercise that 2nd in time together and convey something about Dark males. Our fight with ourselves, internally, and each other. For me & Mike we had nothing but appreciate pic.twitter.com/CfDW3rcY2c
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) September 6, 2021
I will’t…I’m crushed. ? no words. I love you bro. RIP to the tale Michael Okay Williams aka one of many dopest Actors/Brother on this planet. #Omar #TheWIRE FOR LIFE. I’m off the grid for a whereas interesting to assignment this one. I love you bro smh damn ????? ??? pic.twitter.com/UNK3F94opM
— Tray Chaney (@traychaney) September 6, 2021
Alarmed and saddened by the death of Michael Okay Williams. One of the well-known nicest brothers on the earth with essentially the most intelligent coronary heart. An ideal actor and soul.
Could well additionally simply you RIP. God bless.— Isiah Whitlock Jr. (@IsiahWhitlockJr) September 6, 2021
Michael Okay Williams I knew turned into form. Dazzling. Easy. And big fucking talented. I’ll admire our talks and I’ll miss him critically. My deepest condolences to the Williams family. Leisure my pal. ??
— Domenick Lombardozzi (@D_Lombardozzi) September 6, 2021
Michael Okay Williams turned into a excellent looking out, passionate, substantial soul. I felt so lucky to have known him, and we were all so lucky to have loved his mighty skills. He burned so very colorful.
Leisure in energy, MKW.
You are going to with no slay in sight be The King. pic.twitter.com/LuFY0tG9NA
— Aisha Tyler (@aishatyler) September 6, 2021
I met Michael Okay. Williams about 8 years previously after I turned into quiet a background actor and man turned into he cool. He’s been one of many dusky actors I’ve been in a spot to scrutinize as a lot as ever since, and I will’t say he’s long gone already. We lost one other one ? dang. Leisure In peace pic.twitter.com/tADo9GaSCu
— Camrus Johnson (@CamrusJ) September 6, 2021
If truth be told gutted on hearing the passing of Michael Okay. Williams. A huge actor.
— Colman Domingo (@colmandomingo) September 6, 2021
The object about @BKBMG is that as fierce and foreboding as his characters on the total were, he as a person couldn’t had been more straightforward-going and most intelligent.
He turned into upright, form man and so fun to work with.
I’m sorry to hear of his passing and of how. ?
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) September 6, 2021
Damn! This kind of loss! This man turned into an fundamental actor and a excellent looking out artist long gone too soon…?? Michael Okay. Williams Ineffective: ‘The Wire’ Well-known person Changed into once 54 – Selection https://t.co/ctvgMnCBgf
— David Alan Grier (@davidalangrier) September 6, 2021
Right here is utterly devastating. Sweet Michael. You were one of essentially the most intelligent actors ever. Leisure In Peace. ‘The Wire’ actor Michael Okay. Williams found dull in NYC residence https://t.co/zTBtSvyveH thru @nypmetro
— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) September 6, 2021
I’m bothered. I’m sad. So great skills. Scheme too young. #RIP Michael Okay. Williams. pic.twitter.com/MdB32GsiXk
— Adina Porter (@AdinaPorter) September 6, 2021
