Kerry Washington's Emotional Emmy Tribute To Michael K. Williams
It's been a couple of weeks since the death of "The Wire" actor Michael K. Williams at the age of 54, and naturally, we've seen a number of his fellow actors and other celebrities pay tribute to the New York City-born star. Among them has been "Scandal" star Kerry Washington — she first tweeted a tribute after the news of Williams' death broke, but paid another tribute at the 2021 Emmy Awards last night.
Per Page Six, she praised the late actor while presenting the nominees for the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Award, saying, "Michael was — it's crazy to say 'was' — was 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. Your excellence, your artistry will endure."
Williams was nominated for the award for his role in HBO's "Lovecraft County," and his nephew, Dominic Dupont, was there to accept the award should he have won posthumously. However, the eventual winner was Tobias Menzies, for his role in Netflix's "The Crown" (via Page Six).
He was nominated for his fifth Emmy
At the time the news of Michael K. Williams' death was announced, Kerry Washington tweeted that she was "So heartbroken." She continued, "@BKBMG thank you for the beauty and joy you brought to the world. Sending love and prayers to your friends, family and everyone who adored you me included. We adore you Sir." Her tribute at the Emmys echoed the heartfelt sentiment.
It wasn't his first Emmy nomination either — Williams had actually been nominated four times before, once for producing the Vice documentary "Raised in the System," which revolved around his nephew (via Page Six). Daniel Dupont served more than 20 years in jail for murder before his sentence was commuted in 2017, and in the wake of his uncle's death spoke to the New York Post about the support he received from his uncle at the time, describing him as an "amazing uncle" who "would work really hard to be a mentor to me and encourage me to stay focused on the important things."