Michael Kenneth Williams is an American actor, dancer, and reporter.

He played Omar Little on the HBO drama series The Wire and Albert "Chalky" White on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire.

Williams was also acclaimed for his role as Jack Gee, husband of Bessie Smith, in the HBO telefilm biopic Bessie. He has acted in supporting roles in many films and television series, including The Road, Inherent Vice, The Night Of, Gone Baby Gone, and 12 Years an enslaved person.

Williams received two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie nominations for his roles in Bessie (2015) and The Night Of (2016).

After getting in trouble as a youth, he enrolled at the National Black Theatre in New York City.

Williams worked for Pfizer pharmaceuticals as a temp. However, inspired by Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, he left school and quit his job, against his family's wishes, to pursue a career as a dancer.

During a year in which he was intermittently homeless, Williams visited record labels and dance studios looking for work. He got a job as a background dancer on a music tour for Kym Sims' dance anthem, Too Blind To See It, which led to more work appearing as a dancer in videos and on terms, such as with George Michael, Madonna, as well as some modeling work. He also choreographed Crystal Waters' 1994 single "100% Pure Love".

He was given one of his first acting roles after being discovered by Tupac Shakur and was cast as High Top, the brother, and henchman to Shakur's drug kingpin Tank, in the 1996 film Bullet.

Williams had a large facial scar he received during a bar fight on Jamaica Avenue, New York City, on his 25th birthday, in which he was slashed with a razor blade. The scar became his signature feature and resulted in offers to perform as a thug in music videos and modeling opportunities with noted photographers like David LaChapelle.

Williams also served as the American Civil Liberties Union celebrity ambassador to the Campaign for Smart Justice.

Williams gained recognition as an actor for his portrayal of Omar Little in The Wire, which began filming in 2002. The character was based on Donnie Andrews and other crime figures in Baltimore.

Williams received the part after only a single audition. He was initially told that the character was slated to appear in just seven episodes of the first season and feared that the character would be killed before the end of the season. However, creator David Simon stated that they always planned to keep the character as part of the continuing ensemble should the show be renewed beyond the first season.

For his portrayal of Omar, Williams was named by USA Today as one of the ten reasons they still love television. Omar was praised for his uniqueness in the stale landscape of TV crime dramas and the wit and humor Williams brings to the portrayal.

Omar was one of the first season's wealthiest characters, a Robin Hood of Baltimore's west side projects.

In 2007, he was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Omar.

Williams pursued the role because he was intrigued by Omar's contradictory nature. He felt Omar's popularity stemmed from his honesty, lack of materialism, individuality, and adherence to his strict code. Williams received both positive and negative reactions to Omar's homosexuality and feels successful in challenging attitudes and provoking discussion with the role.

In 2008, then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama cited The Wire as his favorite television show and called Omar his favorite character. About Omar, Obama said, That's not an endorsement. He's not my favorite person, but he's a fascinating character... he's the most demanding, baddest guy on the show.

Williams had a recurring role in J. J. Abrams' Alias. He also had a recurring role in Abrams' produced Six Degrees. He has also made brief appearances on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (playing two different characters on two different seasons), Boston Legal, The Sopranos, Law & Order (playing three different characters on three separate seasons), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (also playing two other characters on two different seasons), Human Giant and Third Watch.

Williams made a brief appearance as the shooter at the beginning of the music video for Young Jeezy's Bury Me a G. He appears in The Kill Point as recurring guest star Q, a police sniper, alongside The Wire co-stars J. D. Williams, Michael Hyatt and Leo Fitzpatrick. He auditioned for the starring role of Mr. Cat but was forced to take a minor role due to scheduling conflicts; the part of Mr. Cat went to J. D. Williams instead.

Williams played a Boston area detective named Devin Amronklin in the 2007 film Gone, Baby, Gone. The film is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane, who has written for The Wire and was adapted and directed by Ben Affleck. Amronklin is a recurring character in Lehane's Kenzie-Genarro series of books. Williams says he enjoyed working with Affleck and characterized him as a passionate and hands-on director. The film also featured his co-star from The Wire, Amy Ryan.

Moreover, he played Teddy, the former boyfriend of Nikki Tru (Kerry Washington), in the Chris Rock film I Think I Love My Wife.

Additionally, he played James, a policeman, in singer R. Kelly's, Trapped in the Closet.

Williams also starred in the film A Day in the Life, which was directed, produced, and stars rapper Sticky Fingaz. The entire movie is a musical, with every line delivered in rap verse. Williams starred in HBO's Boardwalk Empire for its five seasons (2010–2014). He appeared as Albert "Chalky" White, the 1920s Atlantic City's black community leader.

On July 23, 2011, Community creator Dan Harmon revealed that Williams would star in "at least three episodes" of the sitcom's third season. He played the role of Biology Professor Marshall Kane at Greendale Community College.

In November 2011, it was announced that Williams would appear in Quentin Tarantino's feature film Django Unchained. Williams, who had previously confirmed that he was actually in talks with Tarantino to take on the titular role of Django, was to portray a minor character in the film. Still, scheduling conflicts with Boardwalk Empire prevented him from doing so.

On May 16, 2012, Williams announced that he was an executive producer of the independent film Snow on tha Bluff, Williams' first film under his company, Freedom Productions. On Power 105.1fm's

In 2013, he starred in MGMT's music video for Cool Song No. 2.

Williams was featured modeling for The Gap's 2014 fall collection.

On March 9, 2015, it was announced that Williams would star in SundanceTV's Hap and Leonard, based on a series of novels by Joe R. Lansdale.

Also, in 2015, Williams appeared in the music video for "The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles" by Marilyn Manson.

In 2016, Williams began working with Vice News, hosting a VICELAND program titled Black Market.

Williams was initially cast as Dryden Vos, a crime lord in Solo: A Star Wars Story. However, he was removed from the final film after being unable to return to the set during the film's reshoots.

Williams was found dead in his Williamsburg, Brooklyn apartment by his nephew on September 6, 2021.

On September 24, 2021, the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that Williams died of a fatal combination of fentanyl, Fluor fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. It ruled the death as an accidental overdose. His private funeral was held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Cathedral in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where his mother lives.

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