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Michael Kenneth Williams

Michael Kenneth Williams

Actor, also producer · Died September 6, 2021, aged 54 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award winner · Primetime Emmy nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Michael Kenneth Williams (November 22, 1966 – September 6, 2021) was an American actor. He played Omar Little on the HBO drama series The Wire from 2002 to 2008 and Albert "Chalky" White on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire from 2010 to 2014. Williams was raised in the Vanderveer Projects in East Flatbush, Brooklyn and attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School. Later, Williams enrolled at the National Black Theatre in New York City.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 22, 1966
Died
September 6, 2021 (aged 54)
From
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
68 on MovieCove · 90 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

What are Michael Kenneth Williams' films like?

Across their 45 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Action11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
22%
Self
21%
Survival
20%
Power
16%
Bonds
12%
Society
7%
Ideas
2%
Survival15 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity13 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal7 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 36 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 3 · Serious 3 · Dark 30

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 27 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 0

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 10 · Intense 24

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 7

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 29 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 4

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 20 · Full focus 10

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 3 · Affecting 14 · Heavy 19

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 20 · Open-ended 15 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

21 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 6 of 21 analyzed roles.

Shadow
6 of 21
Mentor
6 of 21
Threshold guardian
3 of 21
Ally
2 of 21
Herald
2 of 21
Trickster
1 of 21
Hero
1 of 21
Show the 21 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
41
Melancholic
28
Dread
15
Hopeful
10
Thrilling
7
Other
27

How their films linger

Thought-provoking22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet29
  • Tragic6
  • Ambiguous7

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Michael Kenneth Williams' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 48 of their 68 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Kenneth Williams' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

90 credits, 68 with a MovieCove page; 16 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Brown Dog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Nobody

  • Surrounded(2023)

    as Will Clay

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Breaking(2022)

    as Eli Bernard

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Body Brokers(2021)

    as Wood

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Lines (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • Critical Thinking(2020)

    as Mr. Roundtree

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Lovecraft Country(2020)

    Show 10 episodes · as Montrose Freeman

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Arkansas(2020)

    as Almond

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Motherless Brooklyn(2019)

    as Trumpet Man

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Red Sea Diving Resort(2019)

    as Kabede Bimro

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • When They See Us(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · as Bobby McCray

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Rematch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Failure

  • The Public(2018)

    as Jackson

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • SuperFly(2018)

    as Scatter

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Shelter(2016)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • When We Rise(2017)

    Show 4 episodes · as Ken Jones

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Assassin's Creed(2016)

    as Moussa

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • When the Bough Breaks(2016)

    as Roland White

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Land(2016)

    as Pops

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Ghostbusters(2016)

    as Agent Hawkins

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Night Of(2016)

    Show 6 episodes · as Freddy Knight

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Black Market with Michael K. Williams(2016)

    Show 12 episodes · Executive Producer · as Self - Host

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Hap and Leonard(2016)

    Show 18 episodes · as Leonard Pine

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Triple 9(2016)

    as Sweet Pea

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Anesthesia(2015)

    as Jeffrey

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Captive(2015)

    as Detective John Chestnut

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Time Out of Mind(2014)

    as Mike

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Spoils Before Dying(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · as Rock Banyon

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • Bessie(2015)

    as Jack Gee

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Gambler(2014)

    as Neville Baraka

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Inherent Vice(2014)

    as Tariq Khalil

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Rand University (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Narrator

  • Kill the Messenger(2014)

    as Ricky Ross

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Purge: Anarchy(2014)

    as Carmelo

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Last Week Tonight with John Oliver(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard Sackler

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Bro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Executive Producer

  • RoboCop(2014)

    as Jack Lewis

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • That Awkward Moment(2014)

    as Omar Little

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Lucas Bros. Moving Co. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Satan

  • The Devil Goes Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as The Devil

  • 12 Years a Slave(2013)

    as Robert

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • They Die by Dawn(2013)

    as Nat Love

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Snitch(2013)

    as Malik

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Luv(2012)

    as Detective Holloway

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-33 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Sgt. James

  • Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 23-33 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Sgt. James

  • You're Nobody 'til Somebody Kills You(2012)

    as Ad

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Snow on tha Bluff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Executive Producer

  • The Wire: The Musical (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Omar Little

  • The Cookout 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Cable Guy Mike

  • The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll(2009)

    as Sonnyboy

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Detroit 1-8-7(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Clarence Warrenton

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Boardwalk Empire(2010)

    Show 56 episodes · as Albert 'Chalky' White

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Life During Wartime(2009)

    as Allen

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Brooklyn's Finest(2009)

    as Red

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Road(2009)

    as The Thief

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Community(2009)

    Show 3 episodes · as Professor Marshall Kane

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • A Day in the Life(2009)

    as Killer Mike

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Philanthropist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

  • Tell Tale(2009)

    as Acherton

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Wonderful World(2009)

    as Ibu

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Miracle at St. Anna(2008)

    as Tucker

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club(2008)

    as Tone

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The Incredible Hulk(2008)

    as Harlem Bystander

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-22 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as James

  • Gone Baby Gone(2007)

    as Devin

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 13-22 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Sgt. James

  • I Think I Love My Wife(2007)

    as Teddy

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Six Degrees(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Killa Season (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Mike

  • Mercenary for Justice(2006)

    as Samuel Kay

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • The Bondage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Willie

  • Trapped in the Closet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 33 episodes · Actor

  • Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-12 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as James

  • Lackawanna Blues(2005)

    as Jimmy

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Doing Hard Time(2004)

    as Curtis Craig aka: Durty Curt From Detroit

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Boston Legal(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Randall Kirk

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Wire(2002)

    Show 50 episodes · as Omar Little

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Alias(2001)

    Show 3 episodes · as Roberts

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Laurent / Paul · as Ronnie

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Broke Even (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Kenny

  • Madonna: The Video Collection 93:99 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as (segment "Secret")

  • Bringing Out the Dead(1999)

    as Drug Dealer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Third Watch(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Cop One

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Double-D Gamble · as John Victor Bodine

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Sopranos(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Ray Ray

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • The Substitute 2: School's Out(1998)

    as Gang Member #2 (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • MugShot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Rumor

  • Bullet(1996)

    as High Top

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Charles Cole · as Delmore Walton · as Marcus Cole

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 90 titles from 1990 to 2024; peak year 2015.

Biggest box office

RoboCop (2014)

$243M worldwide

Highest rated

When They See Us (2019)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Boardwalk Empire (2010)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19902024

Peak 2015 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 11 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 2 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting86 of 90: 86 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thProducing4 of 90: 4 only producing, 0 with another role

By decade

1990s9 · acting2000s26 · acting2010s47 · 43 acting · 4 crew2020s8 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 41 roles
96061116

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Screen Actors Guild Award and 3 other major awards from 12 major nominations, 2012–2022.

WinNomination
  1. 2022
    • Sundance award, won · Ensemble Cast
  2. 2021
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
  3. 2019
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
  4. 2018
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Informational Series or Special
  5. 2017
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
  6. 2015
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Independent Spirit Award, won
  7. 2014
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  8. 2012
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Michael Kenneth Williams' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 48; across their 36 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Reach · how many have seen their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Midcredits score across 68 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up20
  • 50th to 74th23
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

24 of their 68 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved12
  • Divisive5
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser24
  • Broadly Agreed8
  • Mixed18

Most divisive · producer

Shelter (2016)

92nd percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

12 Years a Slave (2013)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 35 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Michael Kenneth Williams' work okay for kids?

Across up to 25 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore20 titles55–89 · median 75 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity25 titles16–75 · median 42 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity21 titles52–89 · median 72 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs19 titles31–87 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense18 titles46–87 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Michael Kenneth Williams work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Kenneth Williams' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Steve Buscemi shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Editors

Producers