Michael Kenneth Williams

 Emmy-nominated actor, producer and director Michael Kenneth Williams was one the most respected and acclaimed talent of his time. By bringing complicated and charismatic characters to life--often with surprising tenderness--Williams established himself as a gifted and versatile actor who has a unique ability to mesmerize audiences with his stunning character portrayals.Born in 1966 in Brooklyn, Williams was best known for his dazzling performance in The Wire (2002). Williams comedy and wit brought Omar who was an homosexual, profanity-averse, and whistle-happy drug dealer, a hit and earned him a lot of reviews. Williams was also a character in HBO's critically acclaimed HBO series Boardwalk Empire (2010). He was Chalky White (a 1920s bootlegger, who is the immaculately dressed mayor of Atlantic City's African American communities). In 2012, "Boardwalk Empire" won an award from the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an ensemble in an Drama Series. His first Emmy nomination was for Outstanding Supporting Actor or Film in a limited Series of HBO's Bessie (2015). He was then awarded a second nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor for an upcoming Limited Series for his performance in Freddy's HBO series, The Night Of (2016). In the year 2018, Vice (2013) returned with a special season premiere featuring Williams. Williams embarked upon an individual journey to expose America's juvenile justice system. "Raised in the System" was an open and honest look at the people in prison in the US. The show explored the reason how the mass incarceration crisis cannot be resolved without first addressing the system of juvenile justice. Williams explored the methods local communities were employing that led to drastic reductions in both crime and incarceration.