Michael K. Williams, best known for his work as Omar on The Wire, has been declared dead at just 54 years old, according to the NY Post. The actor was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment on Monday, after relatives hadn’t heard from him for several days and decided to check in.
Law enforcement sources have reported that the body was found on the living room couch, with drug paraphernalia located on the table nearby, suggesting that the father of one passed away because of an overdose on either heroin or fentanyl.
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The NY Post reports that the 12 Years a Slave actor had been very open about his struggles throughout his career, and that he even once stumbled into a New Jersey church back in 2016, desperate to get help to combat his addiction.
“When I came through those doors, I was broken,” Williams shared. “This was, I would say, around the third season of ‘The Wire’.”
“I was on drugs. … I was in jeopardy of destroying everything I had worked so hard for,” the told NPR.
Williams was reportedly discovered by his nephew, and is survived by his son, Elijah.
You can check out a clip of Williams talking about how his life was changed by The Wire below. RIP.
[Via]