The actor had been nominated for an Emmy five times in the last seven years, but this was going to be his year, according to critics. The actor was found dead Monday in his home. He was 54.
Hollywood stars and fans alike are mourning the death of “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams, who died Monday at the age of 54, just weeks before he was favored to win his first Emmy Award.
Williams was the frontrunner for best supporting actor for his portrayal of Montrose Freeman in the HBO horror drama series “Lovecraft Country.” He had been nominated for an Emmy five times in the last seven years, but this was going to be his year, according to critics.
"This was the year that we were predicting he was finally going to win that Emmy," said Variety deputy TV editor and senior awards editor Michael Schneider. "And I believe he is going to win that Emmy. It's just so heartbreaking now to realize that he won't be there to accept it on stage."
In a recent interview, Williams talked about how excited he was to attend the ceremony in person after it was held virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I eagerly look forward to that again, and it's something that I will never take for granted, ever," Williams said.
The actor was found dead in his penthouse apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Police reportedly found heroin and drug paraphernalia on the kitchen table. No official cause of death has been disclosed.
Williams found fame in the iconic role of Omar Little in the hit crime drama “The Wire.” He also gained notoriety in “Boardwalk Empire.”
People mourning his death publicly included singer Mariah Carey, who wrote on Instagram that Williams was a “beautiful soul.”
“So heartbroken,” went a post from Kerry Washington.
