Michael K. Williams Net Worth

One of the most legendary characters in any TV series, according to the audience, is Omar Little from The Wire. Legendary actor Michael K. Williams showcased his acting skills through the stunning performance of the gay gangster, demonstrating how his facial expressions alone could narrate the entire story.

Apart from his most significant work in the crime drama TV show, he has also appeared in other trendy projects, either as a lead actor or in a guest role, and he has managed to entertain his fans till his last day.

He was nominated for several awards for the 2014 TV show Boardwalk Empire, along with guest appearances on projects like The Road, Gone Baby Gone, Motherless Brooklyn, and more.

Due to his ability to make every character assigned to him his own, he was able to amass a considerable fanbase, fame, and fortune from around the world. In this article, we will get to know his career, net worth, and personal life from a close distance.

Michael K. Williams’s net worth, salary, and endorsements

As of 2023, Williams has an estimated net worth of approximately $5 million. His primary source of income was his very successful acting career, which started with the 1996 movie Bullet, in which he appeared alongside rapper Tupac Shakur.

He started to appear in a few popular TV shows like Law and Order, Sopranos, etc., before getting his big break in the TV show The Wire as Omar Little. For the first couple of seasons, he was a recurring character, but from the third season on, his popularity rose so much that he was cast as the lead character.

Michael K. Williams Net Worth. (Credit: Instagram)

Although he has not revealed how much he made from the TV show, he managed to amass a fanbase, and many people in the industry started to notice him. He started getting more roles and projects, but most were similar, which disappointed him.

After the end of The Wire, he still received tons of movies and shows before landing his big break in 2010 with another crime drama, Boardwalk Empire. In the show, he played the role of African-American gangster Chalky White, which became another iconic character he played.

At this time, he was already recognized as an established actor; hence, he used to make $100,000 to $150,000 per episode. He continued to get main cast roles in several other projects, like Hap and Leonard, When We Rise, etc., from which he made tons of money.

Furthermore, he was also a talented dancer and choreographer, and surprisingly, he used to make over $100,000 per dance show that he performed or choreographed.

He also earned a decent amount from brand and endorsement deals that mainly featured brands like men’s products, accessories, jewelry, and others.

Michael K. Williams’s assets, expenses, and investments

Williams was one of the best actors and a prominent household name who made significant earnings from his acting career. Hence, he has spent most of his income buying real estate, assets, and properties.

Regarding real estate, he has purchased a massive mansion in Brooklyn, New York. He has not revealed how much he paid for the said mansion but was there until his dying day, as he loved living in the area.

There is not much information on whether he has purchased real estate in any location other than Brooklyn since he used to live in only one place. Besides spending his money on acquiring real estate, he has also spent it buying expensive sports cars.

According to the media, he used to love riding expensive sports cars like McLaren 205, Audi R8, Ferrari 488GTB, Maserati MC20, Rimac Nevera, Ferrari 296 GTB, etc. His car collection portfolio contains all these expensive cars, amounting to over $2 million.

Besides spending his money on acquiring riches, properties, and cars, he also invested a lot in businesses that helped young talents develop in the entertainment industry. He also spent money on producing many TV shows.

During his death, he was producing the popular documentary series Black Market, in which he invested a lot of money. Although he could not complete the project, he received help from his fans and friends who met it.

Michael K. Williams’s early life, parents, and relationship

The actor was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on November 22, 1966. His father’s name is Booker T. Williams, whereas his mother’s is Paula Thompson. His father was from Greenville, South Carolina, and he has lived as a proud African-American ever since his father migrated from Africa.

He was raised in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, at the Vanderveer Projects. When he was young, he attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, where he received his primary education.

When he was younger, he was involved with the wrong crowd and was even involved with drug usage, but he found his outlay in acting and dancing. He became fond of working, so he attended the National Black Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, where he honed his acting and facial expressions and learned how to make a character iconic.

At first, he worked as a temp in a pharmaceutical company. Still, he desperately wanted to become a dancer, prompting him to leave school and quit his job, which infuriated his family.

He left his home looking for an opportunity to act or dance, which was hard to come by, so he stayed homeless for several months before getting a job as a backup dancer.

Regarding his relationship, he was never married, did not date anyone, and had no biological children. However, he adopted Karim Anderson, a popular chef, along with his siblings.

Anderson has shared a tribute to Williams, stating he was his only father and was a godsend for the siblings.

On September 6, 2021, he died of a drug overdose. The incident was reported to the police after his nephew found him in his apartment. He died of a combination of several drugs, like cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and parafluorofentanyl.

Conclusion

Hence, Williams was one of the best actors in the world who could engage fans in his roles. He lived a decent life and had a proper net worth but was unable to get past the demons that had haunted him ever since his younger days.