Nollywood actor, Michael K. Williams, best known for his role as Omar in the movie ‘The Wire’, has on Monday been found dead in his New York City apartment.
According to New York Post, a law enforcement source revealed that the 54-year-old he was found in his Brooklyn apartment on Monday afternoon.
Williams, 54, was found dead in the living room of his Kent Avenue penthouse by his nephew, sources said.
Drug paraphernalia was found in the apartment suggesting a possible overdose, according to The Post.
Williams was born in Brooklyn, New York as the youngest of 10 children. His father, Booker T. Williams, was an African-American from South Carolina while his mother was from Nassau.
The actor was molested during his adolescence, and this incident scarred him emotionally and resulted in a troubled teenage life. He had low self-esteem and often sought help and consolation from the church.
After getting in some trouble as a youth, he enrolled in school and got a job at a pharmaceutical company.
Inspired by Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814, he left school and quit his job against the wishes of his family to pursue a career as a dancer.
He got a job as a background dancer on a music tour, which led to more work appearing as a dancer in videos and on tours, as well as some modelling work.
Williams began his career as a performer by dancing professionally at age 22. After numerous appearances in music videos and as a background dancer on concert tours for Madonna and George Michael, he decided to seriously pursue acting, having been encouraged to do so by rapper Tupac Shakur.
The celebrity participated in several productions of La MaMA Experimental Theatre, the prestigious National Black Theatre Company, and the Theater for a New Generation directed by Mel Williams.
He is best known for his remarkable work as Omar in The Wire movie, which earned him high praise and made Omar one of television’s most memorable characters.
Williams also acted in Broadway Empire, When They See Us, Twelve Years A Slave and several others.
