On Monday, the world was shocked by the sudden passing of Michael K. Williams. The beloved actor, best known for playing Omar Little on The Wire — widely hailed as one of television’s greatest characters — was only 54 years old. Details are still under investigation, but as soon as the news broke, an avalanche of remorse descended upon social media, with people alternately expressing alarm as well as love for someone who was both larger than life and all too human.
There were memorials from colleagues of his most famous work, The Wire, David Simon’s epic chronicle of a broken Baltimore. Williams, who had been in movies and television since the mid-‘90s, filed one of the great “who is that?” turns when he first appeared as iconoclastic yet principled drug dealer Omar.
If you don’t know, you better ask somebody. His name was Michael K. Williams. He shared with me his secret fears then stepped out into his acting with true courage, acting in the face of fear, not in the absence of it. It took me years to learn what Michael had in abundance. pic.twitter.com/BIkoPPrPzg
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) September 6, 2021
Shocked and saddened by the death of Michael K Williams. One of the nicest brothers on the planet with the biggest heart. An amazing actor and soul.
May you RIP. God bless.— Isiah Whitlock Jr. (@IsiahWhitlockJr) September 6, 2021
Michael K Williams I knew was kind. Fair. Gentle. And super fucking talented. I’ll cherish our talks and I’ll miss him tremendously. My deepest condolences to the Williams family. Rest my friend.
— Domenick Lombardozzi (@D_Lombardozzi) September 6, 2021
Fellow performers told stories or simply praised his craft.
For years Wikipedia listed Michael K. Williams as my brother. Neither one of us chose to correct it, instead we took it at its word. “We’re brothers, yo.” He shared poems with me. We broke bread & kicked it whenever we could. A deep & sincere connection. A beautiful spirit.
— Saul Williams (@SaulWilliams) September 6, 2021
Michael K. Williams was really good on any block. If you were at functions in Brooklyn, he would just be there. I’ve seen him many times. Chopping it up, dancing, chilling. This is such a loss.
— Queer Latifah
(@BougieBlackness) September 6, 2021
Awful news. A great actor. RIP Michael K. Williams.
— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) September 6, 2021
Fierce talent. Beautiful soul. Rest In Power Michael K Williams. https://t.co/nKJhJ4nt4P
— Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) September 6, 2021
Williams was far, far more than Omar, though. And some wanted everyone to know that.
MKW choreographed a Crystal Waters video, danced for Madonna, George Michael, he was a muse of David LaChapelle, he was a National Black Theatre product. So much went into the actor who burst onto the scene in the 2000s! A career like very few can say they had.
— Amanuel Teferi (@AManYouLove_T) September 6, 2021
has **anyone** been on more great TV series than Michael K. Williams?
–The Wire
–Sopranos
–Alias
–Boardwalk Empire
–Community
–The Night Of
–When They See Us
–Lovecraft Country
–Law & Order
–Hap and Leonard— Marlow Stern (@MarlowNYC) September 6, 2021
It was pointed out that no less than Tupac Shakur gave Williams one of his first movie roles.
here’s the story of how tupac discovered michael k. williams and cast him in his first film role pic.twitter.com/uIfyinOrJl
— Marlow Stern (@MarlowNYC) September 6, 2021
People shared his best moments, including, of course, from The Wire.
One of Michael K. Williams best scenes as Omar Little from The Wire
pic.twitter.com/sIk7fK4m4I
— AuxGod (@AuxGod_) September 6, 2021
RIP to the one and only Michael K Williams
pic.twitter.com/voOwi2MAbX
— click here for reaction videos! (@VideoReacts) September 6, 2021
RIP Michael K. Williams. Absolutely gutting news. Do I even need to tell you what a singular character/performance Omar Little from The Wire was? And as far as LGBTQ representation in the early-mid 2000s? Had to be revolutionary. pic.twitter.com/0tZz58hsjl
— Richard (@RichardOcelot) September 6, 2021
Others chose other projects.
Thinking not just of Michael K Williams’ best roles, but of the series finale of “No Reservations” when Bourdain visits him in Flatbush and they can’t go five feet without MKW recognizing someone from the neighborhood with a huge smile. A real loss.
— Caroline Darya Framke (@carolineframke) September 6, 2021
RIP Michael K Williams
Thank you for everything
pic.twitter.com/3spo7rqlmI
— Oluwajomiloju (@JomiAdeniran) September 6, 2021
People dug out a video he made, in which Williams discussed his typecasting…with himself.
Michael K. Williams talking to different versions of himself on getting typecast as a black man. pic.twitter.com/uRowCxU4Tf
— chu (@chuuzus) September 6, 2021
Some reminded people of one of his more recent triumphs: his tribute to DMX, who passed earlier this year.
I remember watching this DMX tribute live and getting chills! That’s the kind of actor Michael K Williams was… He made you feel whatever he was doing! RIP King
— Eric P (@epark1016) September 6, 2021
Michael K Williams literally just did the tribute to DMX and we were all talking about how he’s the only person capable of playing him in a biopic and now we’ve somehow lost him too. This is devastating
— Olayemi Olurin (@msolurin) September 6, 2021
Williams wasn’t just an entertainer. He used his profile to help people. And he didn’t just quietly pay it forward. He put time in on the ground.
I used to be on staff at one of the many organizations Michael K Williams supported, and he was the one celebrity you could always count to show up. He shared his time, talent, and spirit with those kids, and the impact of that cannot be overstated. https://t.co/pC9noX8FwA
— Sage Young (@sageyoungest) September 6, 2021
There were stories of people meeting him.
Michael K. Williams & I once shared a conversation at some party thing I didn’t fit in or feel good at. He sat down in a corner I was hiding in & just wanted to talk about poems for a while. All I said was “I write,” & he treated me with warmth. like I’d unlocked a universe.
— Hanif Abdurraqib (@NifMuhammad) September 6, 2021
And there was joyful footage of Williams in real life, such as his visit to the famed Criterion Closet, which features a little ode to Charles Chaplin.
— 10000 (@lamzyxl) September 6, 2021
And there was footage of a sometime choreographer dancing for fun.
From not even a year ago, Michael K. Williams dancing in the park. Look at the spirit get a hold of him. Dancing until the end. Rest easy until you find the next dance floor. pic.twitter.com/xbH0s4rEmu
— Amanuel Teferi (@AManYouLove_T) September 6, 2021
Some dug up older interviews, in which he reflected on how lucky he was to have such a blessed life.
“I thought, ‘Why me? Why did I get spared?’ I should’ve been dead. I have the scars. I’ve stuck my head in the lion’s mouth. Obviously, God saved me for a purpose. So, I decided to get clean and then come clean. I’m hoping I can reach that one person.” https://t.co/vxRkVC5nNf
— Wesley (@WesleyLowery) September 6, 2021
There was also one of his last social media posts, in which he simply showed an older interview with Tracy Morgan, in which he points out that others have it worse than he has. “Don’t cry for me. Cry for others man,” Morgan says in the video. “My grandmother told me when you think you’re doing bad, there’s somebody else out there who’s worse.”
“You know what true happiness is?” Morgan asks. “Having something to look forward to.”
Rest in peace, Michael K. Williams.