MICHAEL K. Williams died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, heroin, p-fluorofentanyl, and cocaine, Central Recorder can exclusively reveal.
The NYC Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that the beloved The Wire actor passed away on September 6 in his Brooklyn penthouse from the lethal mixture of drugs.
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The official cause of death was an “acute intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, heroin and cocaine,” NYC medical examiners confirmed.
In addition, the medical examiners told Central Recorder that the star’s death was ruled “accidental.”
Earlier this month, fans and his Hollywood peers were shocked as Michael was found unresponsive at the age of 54 in his NYC penthouse from an overdose.
At the time of death, police said drug paraphernalia was found at the scene.
Last week, fans were “furious” the late Boardwalk Empire actor didn’t get an award for his nomination at the 2021 Emmys.
While many people though Michael would win the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Lovecraft Country, the honor ended up going to The Crown’s Tobias Menzies.
Fans took to Twitter immediately after the announcement to complain about the award show’s decision not to honor Michael with the Best Supporting Actor category.
One fan wrote: “How did michael k williams not win?! So upsetting!”
Another added: “NO! love the best show#LovecraftCountry… once again the#Emmysfailed to recognize the great#MichaelKWilliams…. It is shameful!
A third chimed in: “#Emmys2021got it all wrong#MichaelKWilliamsis always the best.”
The backlash continued as a following person tweeted: “Michael K. Williams was a brilliant actor who was great on#LovecraftCountry. I really would have loved to see him take home the win.”
Others compared the snub to when the late Chadwick Boseman lost out at the Oscars for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom following his tragic cancer death.
‘SO MESSED UP’
One fan commented: “First Chadwick Boseman.. Now Michael K Williams. Y’all keep messing this up.”
The late actor had opened up about his drug relapses and therapy battle in previous conversations.
In an interview he said that he struggled with the tough roles in The Wire, Lovecraft Country and other shows. This was just months before his passing.
Back in February of this year, he told theTamron Hall show: “I just started therapy and really taking that seriously and starting to unpack…
“The critic in my head and what and how that has affected my actions, my responses to certain situations, my relationships.
“It was a very new process for me.”
Michael had been promoting a movie about a drug-treatment center in LA called Body Brokers when he opened up about his struggles.
OPENING UP ABOUT DRUG STRUGGLES
Speaking of his own drug use and seeking help, he added: “Drugs and alcohol are not the problems, they’re merely symptoms of the problem.
The real work starts once these things are gone. These are the issues that must be addressed.
“Those are the reasons we got high in the first place, and our inability to deal with life on life’s terms.”
The beloved actor opened up about his addiction struggles, which stemmed from the end of The Wire.
He added: “So for myself, when The Wire was about to end, there were no legs to be seen. I had to work on myself and silence my inner critic.
“I went from being a shy dark-skinned kid in the hood who was corny to all of a sudden everybody be like ‘Oh I love you I love you!’
“Only it wasn’t me, they were yelling ‘Omar!’ And that was the beginning of me losing myself, of losing my identity in my work.”
Michael concluded: “And that came back to haunt me drastically towards the end because I was forced to go back and look in the mirror.”
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