American actor Michael K. Williams, “Omar” in the cult series The Wire, who was found dead at his home in New York on September 6, died of an “accidental” overdose of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, the New York medical services said on Friday. According to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which called the death “accidental”, Michael K. Williams died at age 54 of “acute poisoning, by the combined effects of fentanyl (a potent opioid), of p -fluorofentanyl, heroin and cocaine ”.
The actor was found dead in his apartment in Brooklyn, the New York borough where he grew up. “There will be no further comment,” the office said in a message to the media.
Michael K. Williams, whose face was crossed with a long scar, had become widely known and appreciated by playing Omar Little, atypical character of the series The Wire by David Simon. In this gripping dive into the daily life of Baltimore’s poor neighborhoods, his portrayal of a lonely homosexual criminal, with his own moral code and principles, had been hailed by critics and the public.
In an interview with American radio NPR, in 2016, the actor had recounted how he himself struggled in his real life with his drug addiction while playing in the series. Michael K. Williams had been nominated five times at the Emmy Awards, without winning the award, the last time in 2021 for his role in the series Lovecraft Country.