“You were a beautiful soul, a kind spirit and a good time… a talent beyond measure."
Tributes have begun to pour in from friends and co-workers of The Wire actor
Michael K.Williams after the star was tragically found dead in his New York City apartment on Monday afternoon.
The Wire creator David Simon said on Monday evening that he was “too gutted” to share everything “that ought to be said”.
He offered a short statement alongside a photo of Williams, penning: “Michael was a fine man and a rare talent and on our journey together he always deserved the best words. And today those words won’t come.”
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Meanwhile, Wendell Pierce, who starred as Detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire, said that "the depth of my love for this brother, can only be matched by the depth of my pain learning of his loss".
"An 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," he added in a statement on Twitter.
"If you don’t know, you better ask somebody. His name was Michael K. Williams. He shared with me his secret fears then stepped out into his acting with true courage, acting in the face of fear, not in the absence of it. It took me years to learn what Michael had in abundance.”
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“He was proud of the artist he had become, asking for my advice long after he had surpassed any insight I could have shared,” Pierce continued.
“Always truthful, never inauthentic. The kindest of persons."
Fellow actor Aldis Hodge also expressed his sadness over Williams' death on Instagram writing: “I can’t even believe this. Rest in power, Mike. You were always a good brother. A fantastic artist and an even better human being. We’ll miss you.”
Meanwhile, When They See Us creator, Ava DuVernay, said on Instagram that the star who "moved many" would always be remembered fondly.
“I remember the times you’d come on set even when you weren’t on the call sheet. Just to share a hug. To cheer us on. Strolling in like the King that you were. For just a flash to give some love – then gone," she said.
She continued in a lengthy statement: "You moved many. You moved me. What you doubted in life, be certain of now, dear brother. Be certain. You were a flash of love – now gone. But never forgotten. Promise.”
When They See Us co-star, Niecey Nash, also shared a tribute on Monday, hailing Williams as a "talent beyond measure".
“You were a beautiful soul, a kind spirit and a good time… a talent beyond measure. Thank you for the many times we traded energy and you made me feel like family. You left us too soon… Praying for your loved ones," she wrote.
A law enforcement source confirmed to the New York Post that the 54-year-old was found in his Brooklyn apartment on Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, a separate source told the publication that drug paraphernalia was found in the apartment.
The actor was famous for his role as Omar Little in the popular TV series The Wire and as Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire among other roles.
The Emmy-nominated actor and producer was also acclaimed for his role as Jack Gee, husband of Bessie Smith, in the HBO telefilm biopic Bessie and had starred in a number of other successful roles throughout his successful career in the entertainment industry.
