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Actor Michael K. Williams has died

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Michael Kenneth Williams, an actor known for his roles in The Wire, Boardwalk Empire and Lovecraft Country, has died. He was 54.

The five-time Emmy Award nominee was found dead Monday afternoon at around 2 p.m. in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment, a source from the NYPD tells PEOPLE. Williams’ nephew discovered his body in the living room.

“It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams,” a rep for Williams tells PEOPLE. “They ask for your privacy while grieving this unsurmountable loss.

Although the cause of death has not yet been determined, drug paraphernalia was found in the apartment, according to the New York Post. A separate law enforcement source tells PEOPLE that Williams died of a suspected overdose and that officials believe he may have had heroin laced with fentanyl.

Williams has been open about his struggles with drug dependency in the past. Raised in the Vanderveer Projects of the East Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, he was exposed to crime at an early age and developed a drug addiction in his teens.

He told The New York Times in 2017 that although he’d had treatment for his addiction, he’d relapsed multiple times during his storied career. “Addiction doesn’t go away,” he said. “It’s an everyday struggle for me, but I’m fighting.”

Friends and fans shared tributes to Williams on social media after the news of his death on Monday. “The depth of my love for this brother, can only be matched by the depth of my pain learning of his loss,” his The Wire costar Wendell Pierce wrote on Twitter. “A immensely talented man with the ability to give voice to the human condition portraying the lives of those whose humanity is seldom elevated until he sings their truth.”

“Michael K Williams, in addition to being one of the most talented actors around, was also one of the kindest, sweetest, most gentle souls I’ve ever met,” wrote James Gunn. “This is heartbreaking. My thoughts are with all those who loved him.”

Williams’ breakout role came in 2002, when he portrayed Omar Little in HBO’s The Wire. The role has been lauded over the years for its complex depiction of a gay Black man with a reputation as a ruthless criminal in the streets of Baltimore.

In a statement, HBO says the network is “devastated” to learn of Williams’ death, noting that he has been “a member of the HBO family for more than 20 years.” They added, “While the world is aware of his immense talents as an artist, we knew Michael as a dear friend who was beloved by all who had the privilege to work with him. We send our deepest condolences to his family for this immeasurable loss

Over the years, he’s appeared in such shows as Law & Order, The Sopranos, Alias, Boardwalk Empire, Community and When They See Us. He’s also had roles in movies like Gone Baby Gone, The Incredible Hulk, 12 Years a Slave, Inherent Vice and Ghostbusters (2016).

Most recently, Williams delivered another acclaimed performance in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, which earned him his fifth Emmy nomination in July. (Winners will be announced on Sept. 19.) He spoke to PEOPLE about playing Montrose, a Black man discovering his sexuality in the 1950s, and how that compared to his role on The Wire.

“Montrose was different. He didn’t have the freedom Omar had or the confidence. He comes from such a broken place,” he said in October 2020. “I just had to find my own pain and my own trauma, which was a very painful experience for me. All the generational pain that had been passed down through my own personal experiences, I had to dig deep down in that for Montrose.”

I would hope that after watching Lovecraft, people walk away with this understanding of the beauty and necessity of a father-son relationship in the Black community,” Williams shared. “Black fathers have been ripped away from their sons for so many years, mine included.

That was the main thing that attracted me to this role was the opportunity to play dad to that amazing Jonathan Majors and for us to explore what father and son bonding looks like and how we can rebuild that and treasure it. There’s an absence of the Black male in our community for a lot of reasons and some of it isn’t our fault but the need is there. It’s a beautiful thing to look at. I hope Montrose will remind us how much little Black boys need their fathers.”

“We are so conditioned to mask our pain as Black men in America. We’re not allowed to cry, we’re not allowed to be vulnerable. We’re not allowed to be soft. I hope that Montrose will at least open up a conversation for Black men in America,” he added.

Source: News365

In other news – Suspect bust with 30kg copper cables belonging to City of Cape Town

Cape Town man has been arrested, after being found in possession of copper cables, belonging to the City of Cape Town, during an operation conducted by law enforcement officials.

copper cables

On Monday, members of the Law Enforcement Metal Theft Unit conducted an inspection of random vehicles conveying scrap to a scrap metal dealer, in Wetton. Learn more

Nigerian Celebrities

RIP: Actor Amaechi Mounachi has passed away

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Amaechi Muonagor

Death has struck again in Nollywood as veteran actor, Amaechi Mounachi, has been reported dead. The actor, famous for his comical roles, passed away after a protracted battle with kidney disease, diabetes, and stroke.

The tragic news of Muonagor’s death hit the internet on the evening of Sunday, March 24, 2024.

This is coming barely one week after a video circulated online showing the 61-year-old actor lying still in bed, requesting financial aid to support his kidney transplant.

Sitting next to the Nollywood legend was a fellow actor, Kingsley Orji, who pleaded on his behalf.

According to Orji, the kidney disease had caused speech impairment for the ailing actor, and they decided to bring him home from the hospital due to a lack of funds.

Amaechi Muonagor

Orji had earlier revealed that Muonagor had been battling diabetes and stroke, with the latter causing paralysis in his leg.

In a social media post last November, Muonagor’s cousin, Hon Tony Muonagor, posted a picture of him sitting next to the ailing actor on a hospital bed, stating that he wants the public to know the situation with his relative.

He later went into details of how the Nollywood legend had been battling kidney disease, diabetes, and stroke. He said though Muonagor had been managing his diabetes over the years and living his life, he was undergoing weekly dialysis at the time of the post.

Muonagor had been receiving dialysis and physiotherapy, amongst other treatments, Tony added. The actor joins a list of other Nollywood veterans who died this month. Most notably, John ‘Mr Ibu’ Okafor died on March 2 after a protracted illness that led to the amputation of his leg.

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Nigerian Celebrities

RIP: Actor Mr Ibu (John Okafor) has died

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Mr Ibu

Nollywood veteran actor Mr Ibu has died. The actor whose real name is John Okafor was 62.

According to multiple reports from sources close to him, the veteran comedian passed away at Evercare Hospital.

Many fans have shared condolences on X, reminiscing about movies the late actor has featured.

Mr Ibu

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SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za Votes Springbok Casino Best Casino in South Africa

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SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za Votes Springbok Casino

Johannesburg, South Africa (Press Release) – South Africa’s most comprehensive guide to online casinos, Southafricancasinos.co.za has voted Springbok Casino the “Best Casino in South Africa” in 2024. This coveted title was given to Springbok Casino after SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za reviewed several excellent local gaming sites according to a number of important criteria – including banking methods,  no deposit casino bonus, support, casino game variety and gaming software.

“We’re thrilled with this award,” said the manager of Springbok Casino, Daniel van Wyke, “especially since it comes from one of the largest and most trusted communities for South African Online Casino players.”

“We’re really proud to be named “Best Casino in South Africa 2024” by SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za” van Wyke went on to say. “We are happy that all the hard work that goes into creating the ultimate gaming platform for South African gamblers is paying off and has been recognized by SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za. We couldn’t be prouder of our team!” Also commenting was SouthAfricanCasinos manager, Michelle Williams, who said: “We don’t dish out important titles such as ‘Best Casino in South Africa’ that easily. We make sure that the online casino meets the very highest standards in the industry and particularly meets the needs of local players. We’ve followed the success of Springbok Casino for many years, and are impressed with the way that the site has remained a constant presence in the local gambling landscape. We know that many, many players agree with our choice.” Joi

“Springbok Casino goes above and beyond to keep its excellent games lobby well stocked and updated with new titles. We always look forward to the online casino games that make an appearance on a monthly basis. Their bonuses are always generous and we like that their promotions are always changing. But more than anything, we love the human side of Springbok Casino. Their entire team should be commended for doing such as great job!” One of the reasons that Springbok Casino no deposit bonus got the thumbs up from www.SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za was the fact that the site offers a massive R11,500 welcome bonus to SA players. The bonus, which is spread over the player’s first three deposits, is one of the most generous in the business, and comes with very reasonable wagering limits.

SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za also said that Springbok Casino’s support team is available around the clock and speaks both English and Afrikaans.

“Springbok Casino is without a doubt the best online casino real money around – and they deserve the recognition,” is how Michelle summed up the award.

Find a detailed Springbok Casino review here : https://www.southafricancasinos.co.za/online-casino-reviews/springbok-casino.html

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