The tragic death of Michael K. Williams earlier this month will undoubtedly be addressed at the upcoming Emmys, but the family of the late actor has a plan for what happens if he wins an award at the ceremony.
The Wire star had seen four Emmy nominations during his outstanding career, the last of which is for Lovecraft Country. Williams was a legendary part of a long string of critically-acclaimed HBO series, so he’s no stranger to the ceremony. And as the Hollywood Reporter noted, a family member will be responsible for picking up the award should he win for his work in Lovecraft Country.
The Hollywood Reporter has learned that if Williams’ name is called, making him only the seventh posthumous performance winner in the 73-year history of the Emmys, his award will be accepted by his nephew and mentee, Dominic Dupont.
Williams has yet to win an Emmy, but he was nominated on four prior occasions, one of them for producing the Vice documentary Raised in the System, which centered on Dupont — who served more than 20 years in prison for murder before his sentence was commuted by then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2017 — and called for reforms to address America’s system of mass incarceration.
As the report noted, Williams is widely regarded as the frontrunner to win the best supporting actor in a drama Emmy on Sunday night. And having Dupont accept it and, presumably, pay tribute to the late actor would be one of the event’s highlights for sure. It’s certainly no consolation in the wake of Williams sudden, senseless passing. But it would be a proper way to honor the life and legacy of one of Hollywood’s most talented actors.
[via THR]