US actor Michael K. Williams who was one of television's most memorable stars of recent years for his role as Omar Little in "The Wire," was found dead in his New York City apartment on Monday.

The Wire star was widely hailed for his role in the gritty thriller "The Wire," in which he played a gay armed robber who specialized in holding up drug dealers. The series became one of the most popular shows on television and ran through five seasons from 2002 until 2008.

His death is being investigated by the New York Police Department as a possible drug overdose. In the past, Williams was vocal about his battles with drugs through the years, including during the filming of “The Wire,’’ he had said that getting into the role of Little, who robs drug dealers, affected him in real life.

The actor started out as a backup dancer for Madonna and George Michael before being encouraged by rapper Tupac Shakur to go into performing. He used his eventual fame to promote social justice and became an “ambassador for ending mass incarceration’’ for the American Civil Liberties Union in 2015.

Many Hollywood celebrities are mourning the death of this versatile actor. Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock posted a picture of him and wrote, " You’ll be missed, brother. A real pleasure to work with you and call you a friend. Strength, mana & love to your family during this very difficult and heartbreaking time. Go rest high."

Omar Little meant just as much to Michael as this character did to us pic.twitter.com/isb8pashM3

— certified lover kar (@karlogan_) September 6, 2021

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