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As Michael K. Williams’ voice came out of a large audio system hooked up to the back of a truck, the hustle and bustle of an East Flatbush street slowed down a bit.
People stopped to pay their respects and retrieve a white balloon that would later be released at a vigil for Mr. Williams, held right outside the Brooklyn real estate complex where the actor grew up.
“He went to Hollywood, but never forgot where he was from,” said Anthony Herbert, a community advocate who organized the vigil at the intersection of Foster and New York avenues. “He was a brother of our community.
Mr Williams, who was found dead Monday at his home in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, was famous for his portrayal of Omar Little, the gangster with a shotgun in the epic HBO drama “The Wire” . But this character wouldn’t be possible without the real people of East Flatbush from whom he shaped Omar.
“Everyone loves him because since he was on ‘The Wire’ we couldn’t believe he was walking around like he wasn’t a Hollywood celebrity,” said Nena Ansari, 66. , from Flatbush. “People were just like, ‘Is this him? We were shocked to see him walking around without security guards. But he was an ordinary guy.
Mr. Williams, who was born in Brooklyn in 1966, grew up in the Vanderveer Estates building complex now known as Flatbush Gardens. Built in 1949 and 1950 on the site of the former Flatbush Water Plant, the 59-building complex for working-class families was also home to teenage Barbra Streisand and her family.
Assembly member Nick Perry, who has represented this part of Flatbush for nearly 30 years and lives close to the complex, said Mr Williams would visit often over the years and include Mr Perry in focused events on youth or food drives. They encouraged residents of the complex to get vaccinated against Covid-19 during the pandemic.
“He lived elsewhere, but he still seemed to feel like he belonged and owed something to the neighborhood he grew up in,” said Mr. Perry.
Residents who attended the vigil felt it was their duty to pay tribute, whether or not they knew Mr. Williams personally.
Tammie Pierce, 53, of Flatbush, said Mr Williams lived next to his cousin in the housing complex. She never had the chance to meet him, but she always admired him for his talent.
“I live down the block so I came to show them some love and drop my ball with them,” she said. “He was a great actor, and all the right people come out of projects.”
Jessica Ortiz, 48, of Flatbush, said she grew up with Mr Williams and liked that he often visited the neighborhood.
“He was always coming back here and looking for where he started,” she said. “The characters he portrayed, like the gangsters, it wasn’t him. He was a really sweet, kind, kind guy who gives you the shirt on your back. “
Mr Williams told the New York Times in 2017 that he continually draws inspiration for his characters from people around the complex. Unsure of how to handle a shotgun, he and a local drug dealer stood on the roof of a building and fired bullets through a steel door.
“The best acting lesson I have ever had,” said Williams at the time.
He continued to use other people in his life, such as his father and nephews, to add depth and nuance to his roles in “Boardwalk Empire”, “The Night Of” and “When We Rise”.
Locals said he often showed up at random events in the community to celebrate and be “with the people,” as Ms Ansari put it.
Ms Ansari said she often saw Mr Williams because he was a ‘head of the house’, someone who deeply loved house music, and showed up at house music events and concerts. other neighborhood gatherings to dance. Since his death, a video of him showing off her dance moves has been shared widely on social media.
“Even after being on ‘The Wire’ he never stayed away,” Ms. Ansari said. “He always walked around the community like he had never been on television. He wasn’t a star all by himself. He was just an ordinary person.
Erica Ford, founder of Life Camp, an organization focused on gun violence reduction in New York City, said Williams felt he owed people to use his fame for good. Ms Ford said he had used his influence to raise awareness about social justice issues close to his heart, including gun violence, mass incarceration, poverty and oppression.
“He used everything he had to make sure people enjoyed life and that they experienced what happiness meant to him and what happiness should look like for our children,” she said. .
Mr Williams was frequently in the community to support a range of programs, Ms Ford said, such as helping to raise funds for summer jobs for young people and holding block parties to register people to vote.
“He was constantly making offers for people,” she said, adding, “He always saw himself as an ordinary person just using his likeness to help people.”
Dana Rachlin, 34, started the We Build the Block organization with Mr. Williams in 2018. The group focuses on replacing the police presence with community initiatives in over-policed communities.
Ms Rachlin said Mr Williams was passionate about social justice because he realized that everyone he knew had been affected by mass incarceration, including his nephew Dominic Dupont, who passed by years in prison and was featured in his documentary on the juvenile justice system, “Raised in the System.”
“He was like, ‘I’ve never been to jail, but I’ve been going back and forth to jail all my life. Why is everyone I know here? ‘ “, did she say. “He understood the systems in place to help people fail. He wanted to dedicate his life to healing people and helping people understand.
Ms Rachlin said that since his death she had felt numb, but that she hoped the work he had started would continue.
“I feel really sad because I know Mike had so much more to give,” she said, her voice broken. “But I also feel like his legacy will exceed all expectations. Everyone is willing to step up their efforts to do a good job now.
Mihir Zaveri contributed report.
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