Hollywood lost a television legend this week in Michael K. Williams, the beloved actor known for his roles in acclaimed shows like The Wire and Boardwalk Empire. Williams was found dead in his New York apartment this past Monday, with the news of passing arriving in the afternoon. Fans have since taken to social media to mourn the late star and express their condolences. A number of celebrities like The Rock and Viola Davis are also paying their respects to Williams with some truly sweet tributes.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson acted alongside Michael Kenneth Williams in the 2013 movie Snitch. In an Instagram post, the wrestler-turned-actor shared a photo of Williams and shared a sweet caption:
Oscar-winner Viola Davis shared a raw reaction on social media. Along with her caption, she also shared a sweet video featuring a number of images of the late actor:
Ed Norton was also one of the stars who took some time to remember the actor, with whom he worked with on the 2019 film Motherless Brooklyn. In one of the two tweets he shared, Norton discussed what the performer brought to the film:
Scandal star Kerry Washington reacted to the news in a social media post of her own. Like many others, she expressed shock and sadness over the actor’s passing:
Of course, Michael K. Williams’ The Wire co-stars also chimed in with some incredibly sentimental thoughts. Lance Reddick, who played the role of Cedric Daniels on the HBO drama, shared a video to Twitter in which he shared how he learned of Williams’ passing and what it was like to work with him:
Wendell Pierce’s William "Bunk" Moreland shared a number of scenes with Michael K. Williams’ Omar Little on The Wire. Pierce posted a lengthy thread on Twitter in which he mourned his colleague:
The depth of my love for this brother, can only be matched by the depth of my pain learning of his loss. A immensely talented man with the ability to give voice to the human condition portraying the lives of those whose humanity is seldom elevated until he sings their truth.
Wendell Pierce also spoke on the significance of the characters they played on The Wire. He illustrated this by referring to one of the show’s key moments:
THE WIRE brought us together and immortalized Omar & Bunk in that “scene” on a park bench.But for us we aimed to take that moment in time together and say something about Black men. Our struggle with ourselves, internally, and each other. For me & Mike we had nothing but respect
It’s honestly still hard to believe that Michael K. Williams is no longer with us. For many of us, he was a constant presence in our entertainment viewings. As tragic as the situation is, it’s lovely to see so many taking the time to remember him not only for his contributions as an artist but as a human being.
We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts and condolences to Michael K. Williams’ family and loved ones at this time.
