'The Wire' Actor Dies Of Suspected Drug Overdose: Report

NEW YORK, NY — The man known as Omar Little on the HBO series "The Wire" and as Chalky White on "Boardwalk Empire" has reportedly passed away.

Michael K. Williams was found Monday afternoon by his nephew in Brooklyn, where he was surrounded by drug paraphernalia in the living room of his Kent Avenue penthouse apartment, according to the New York Post. He was 54 years old.

Police suspect the death was caused by a drug overdose of heroin or fentanyl, the Post reported.

In a 2015 interview with The Guardian, Williams said he began experimenting with cocaine after "The Wire."

He has been nominated five times for Emmys, including for HBO's "Bessie" and "The Night Of," according to IMDB.

In 2021 he was up for the award as a supporting actor in HBO's "Lovecraft Country," according to the Hollywood Reporter, which said his spokesperson confirmed the death of the actor, describing it as an "unsurmountable loss."

Williams had most recently been working on an untitled film about the life of George Foreman, in which he played the heavyweight's trainer and mentor, according to Deadline.