Michael K. Williams

The Wire's Michael K. Williams on Playing Gay
by Michael Ricci, September 7, 2006
In June of 2004, USA Today's Robert Bianco proclaimed Michael K. Williams one of the top 10 reasons to still love television. The kudos were no doubt related to his role as stick-up artist Omar Little on HBO's critically acclaimed drama The Wire, which kicks off its fourth season on Sept. 10. In the gritty cop series, created by David Simon (Homicide: Life on the Street), Omar is a modern-day Robin Hood from Baltimore's projects who holds up big-time dealers and gives their stash to addicts — for free. Every Sunday he takes his grandmother to church and has never uttered a swear word. Omar lives within a world that views homosexuality as a weakness, but he isn't ashamed of it. “He makes no excuses for it,” Williams told AfterElton.com. “It is what it is, and he is fine with his bottom line. It is not about him being gay. He has accepted his lifestyle, and the causes and effects it has had on his life.”