American actor Michael K. Williams passed away

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American actor Michael K. Williams, who played Omar Little on the television series “The Wire,” was found dead in his apartment in New York.

In a statement the representative of Williams, Marianna Shafran said “With deep sadness his family announces the death of the actor.”

In the statement Shafran asked on behalf of the family that “their privacy be respected during the bereavement.”

New York Police Department Lt. John Grimpel said he “died in an apartment” in Brooklyn.

Although the official cause of the actor’s death has not been revealed, several US media cite police sources that point to a possible drug overdose.

Michael K. Williams was acclaimed for his role on the HBO television series “The Wire,” in which he played a thief who specialized in attacking drug dealers in Baltimore.

This series became one of the most popular on television, running for five seasons between 2002 and 2008.

Williams was also known for his role as Albert ‘Chalky’ White on “Boardwalk Empire,” another HBO series.

The actor received multiple Emmy nominations for multiple roles, including this year for his performance in “Lovecraft Country,” and in 2015 for playing the blues singer’s husband, Bessie Smith, in the film “Bessie.”

His role as Omar Little

The role where he played Omar Little benefited from a scar that the actor had on his face that, according to him, he left after a street fight in New York.

In a radio interview, the actor said that the pronounced scar helped him advance in his career, as he went from being a backup dancer in music videos for stars like Madonna and George Michel, to having roles with parliament in dramas playing tough characters.