Sunday, ahead of the kick-off against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Baltimore Ravens paid tribute to late actor Michael K. Williams who famously played Omar Little on The Wire.
Williams endeared himself to legions of fans playing stick-up man Little, in the Baltimore-based HBO series and was known for his signature whistle. In the show, the character would announce his arrival by whistling “The Farmer in the Dell” to give the block a heads up that he was coming. It was played in tribute at the M&T Bank Stadium.
Spectators were moved by the cleverly executed tribute and even The Wire director David Simon was impressed reports ESPN.
“Heard the sound of Omar whistling ‘Farmer In The Dell’ from the stadium while walking across the Ostend Street bridge to the Ravens opener and thought I’d lost my s—,” Simon wrote on Twitter. “It’s the little things that are gonna get me, I guess. But Michael gonna last,” he added.
While Williams may have been shown love at the Ravens game, as we previously reported when it came to the Emmys that wasn’t necessarily the case.
Williams – who tragically passed away earlier this month on Sept. 6 – was nominated for an Emmy for his performance in Lovecraft Country, the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama ultimately went to Tobias Menzies from The Crown.
Williams was nominated for his role in the series, and many of his fans around the world were hoping the Emmy would go to the late artist. While Williams was not posthumously awarded Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama, he did receive a tribute from Kerry Washington.
Washington attended the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards to present the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama. Before announcing the nominees, the Little Fires Everywhere actress addressed the audience and gave a heartfelt tribute to Williams. Washington appeared in the 2007 film I Think I Love My Wife with the actor.
“I would like to take a moment to mention one nominee in particular…Michael K. Williams,” Washington said. She went on to describe Williams as a “brilliantly talented actor and a generous human being who has left us far too soon.”
“Michael, I know you’re here because you wouldn’t miss this,” she added. “Your excellence, your artistry, will endure. We love you.”
Lovecraft Country was nominated for 18 Emmys and when Courtney B. Vance nabbed the trophy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his turn as George Freeman in the drama, the actor thanked the show’s creator, Misha Green, and paid tribute to his late friend and costar during his acceptance speech at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
“Finally to Michael K. Williams. Misha said it best. Michael did everything with his full heart open, with his infinite spirit and with way too much style,” he said. “May he rest in power and let us all honor his immense legacy by being a little more love forward, a little more endless in thought and a little more swaggy in act.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!