Michael K. Williams was almost the star of Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. According to an interview with the actor a couple months ago, it came down to him and Jaime Foxx, but it was Foxx who ended up with the gig. It wasn't a total loss: because the writer/director was so impressed with Williams, he decided that he was going to create a role in the movie just for him. Sadly, however, it looks like it just wasn't meant to be.
Deadline has learned from the production that Michael K. Williams is too busy working on the acclaimed HBO show Boardwalk Empire, on which he plays Chalky White, and won't be able to make space on his schedule for the new Tarantino film. But just because he won't have time for that project doesn't mean we won't be seeing him on the big screen at all. The site says that Williams has accepted a role in Snitch, a new action drama from stuntman-turned-director Ric Roman Waugh. He joins an impressive cast that includes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Susan Sarandon, Barry Pepper, and Jon Bernthal. Also joining the project, according to Variety, are Melina Kanakaredes, Rafi Gavron and Nadine Velazquez. The film is about a suburban father (Johnson) who agrees to work as an snitch (get it?) for the DEA in order to reduce his son's jail sentence for a crime he didn't commit. The plot is based on a true story.
It's a shame that Williams won't be able to appear in Django Unchained - it's always great to see amazing actors work with amazing directors - but I suppose that's just the way it goes.
