The Wire: where are the actors of this classic series now?

'The Wire' (2002-08) was one of the most successful series on HBO, acclaimed both by critics and audiences. Five seasons and 60 episodes told about the drug trade and corruption in the city of Baltimore. The realistic and suspenseful series is considered a masterpiece of TV drama.

Photo: The Wire / HBO Promotional Photo

The skilled cast of 'The Wire' was undoubtedly one of the reasons for its success. The actors and actresses have not exactly gone unnoticed since the end of the series, but their careers and life paths went in very different directions. What has become of them during these years?

One of the most feared characters in 'The Wire,' Omar Little was a thief who assaulted dealers and abided by his own strict moral code in the poor Baltimore projects. One of his rules was to never rob or threaten anyone who was not involved in 'the game' of drug trafficking. Omar Little was gay, which made him a remarkable figure in the TV world at the time.

Michael K. Williams became famous for playing Omar Little. After 'The Wire,' he participated in series such as 'Boardwalk Empire' (2010-2014) and 'Community (2011-2012), and in films like 'The Purge' (2014) or 'Assassin's Creed' (2016). His last works before he died of an overdose in September 2021 were the series 'Lovecraft country' (2020) and the movie 'Body Brokers' (2021).

McNulty, a Baltimore detective, was a creation by the English actor Dominic West. A cocky guy with alcoholism, sentimentality, and family problems, he was good at policing but a bit too fond of breaking the chain of command. It often got him into problems with his superiors.

Although he had already won the Actors Guild Award for best cast for the film 'Chicago' in 2002, West triumphed as Jimmy McNulty in 'The Wire.' After that, good roles kept coming in all shapes and forms. In 2011, West played a news anchor in 'The Hour' on the BBC, and in 2022-23 he was Prince Charles in the Netflix hit 'The Crown.'

Jimmy McNulty's partner and great friend also had problems with alcohol and infidelity, but, deep down, he was the more focused detective of the two and usually the voice of conscience. The role was played excellently by actor Wendell Pierce.

In addition to his role as Bunk Moreland, Wendell Pierce has been seen as a corrupt cop in 'Third Watch' (2000), a psychiatrist in 'Numb3rs' (2007-2008), and as the lawyer Robert Zane in 'Suits' (2013). -2019). He recently appeared in the series 'Jack Ryan,' 'The Watch,' and 'Accused.' In addition, he won a Tony Award in 2012 for his work 'Clybourne Park'.

Kima was a Baltimore detective with excellent skills to find informants and surveil the drug trade in the projects. She was a lesbian woman who earned the respect of everyone in the series, both the criminals and her colleagues.

Actress Sonja Sohn has stood out for her work in the series 'Brothers & Sisters' (2008-2009) where she played Trish Evans, and in 'Body of Proof' as Samantha Baker. Recently she's appeared in the police drama 'Will Trent.' The striking thing about her time on 'The Wire' is that it would inspire her to work -and she continues to this day- as the leader of 'ReWired for Change', a program to rehabilitate young people involved in criminal activities in Baltimore.

Played by Lance Reddick, Cedric Daniels was the lieutenant in the Baltimore Police Narcotics Unit and the commander to whom the 'wire team' responded. He was a serious professional within the police and stayed away from the corruption of others within the institute.

Reddick passed away in March 2023 at the age of 60. He left a legacy that included the ABC series 'Fringe' and the movie series 'John Wick.' In fact, a week after his death, part 4 of the John Wick saga would be released. It has been devoted to his memory.

Lieutenant Daniels didn't get the very best of Baltimore's police to serve in his unpopular 'wire squad.' Domenick Lombardozzi played officer Herc, who liked to act in petty crimes and boast of beating heads "in the style of the Western District."

Lombardozzi later appeared in 'Oz,' 'Entourage,' 'Ex-convicts,' and 'Boardwalk Empire.' He was always a bit bawdy, for example as Ralph Capone in the latter series. His recent projects include Martin Scorsese's film 'The Irishman' in 2019 and the series 'Tulsa King,' starring Sylvester Stallone.

Who knew in 2002 that the actor behind criminal Stringer Bell, Idris Elba, would become so famous? In this case, too, a Baltimore local was played by an Englishman. Stringer Bell was a highly intelligent trafficker and leader, who quickly turned out to be the real boss of the drug trade in the projects.

Idris Elba needs little introduction now. He starred in the series 'Luther,' earning him a Golden Globe and a film version in 2023, and he's appeared in films like 'Thor,' 'The Avengers', and other Marvel blockbusters. Elba is also a prolific kickboxer.

One of the most important traffickers in Baltimore and the leader of the gang that bore his last name, Avon Barksdale was the bad guy from the first season of 'The Wire.' He was a classic boss, controlling, strategic, and always paranoid.

Before 'The Wire,' Harris was somewhat known for his roles in the films 'Above the Rim' (1994) and 'Remember the Titans' (2000). His later projects, such as 'Blade Runner 2049' (2017), 'Space Jam: New Legends' (2021), and 'Creed III' (2023) brought him less glory than 'The Wire' did. In the latter film, he did reunite with an old friend from 'The Wire': Michael B. Jordan.

Michael B. Jordan was just 15 years old when he played a young drug dealer from the Barksdale Organization. He and his friends, Bodie and Poot, ran the trade in 'The Pit,' a poor area of Baltimore. After seeing much suffering and bloodshed, Wallace increasingly felt that he wanted to get out. A tragic and unforgettable figure in 'The Wire.'

Over the years, Jordan has become a famous actor, director, and producer. In addition to his work in other series such as 'Friday Night Lights', his filmography includes roles such as Adonis Creed, the son of Apollo Creed in 'Creed' (2015), and Erik Killmonger, T'Challa's enemy in 'Black Panther' (2018). He both directed and starred in 'Creed III' in 2023.

Yes, we know her from so many other films and series, but Amy Ryan was in 'The Wire' too! She played a Baltimore Port Authority officer who discovered thirteen bodies in a container at the port, which led her to closely collaborate with the main team of police officers to catch the criminals.

She was nominated for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and an Actors Guild Award for the film 'Gone Baby Gone' (2007) and won the 2015 Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast with the Oscar-winning film 'Birdman'. Recently, she made a marvelous appearance in the mystery comedy 'Only murders in the building' (2021), and we also know her as Holly Flax, the love interest of Michael Scott in 'The Office' (2008-11).

An unforgettable character was the addict and police informant Bubbles. He sang and danced, sold hats, and made jokes, but deep down he was struggling to get out of the hole.

Bubbles is, without a doubt, André Royo's best-known role. Since 'The Wire,' his filmography has not been very extensive. He had two small roles in the films 'Shaft' (2000) and 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' (2008) and also appeared in series such as 'Heroes' and 'Masters of Sex' (playing Sammy Davis Jr.). His biggest recent project was the series 'Empire,' from 2015 to 2019.

Remember him? In season two of 'The Wire,' Baltimore longshoremen's union leader Fran Sobotka wanted to restore prosperity to the docks. He did not hesitate to bribe politicians and smuggle goods with local gangsters like 'The Greek.'

A prolific actor, Bauer would later appear in series like 'True Blood' (2008-2012), 'The Deuce' (2017-19), 'Heels' (2021), and 'Gaslit' (2022).

"Sheeeeeeeeee-it!" This was State Senator Clay Davis' signature statement, and actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. always likes to remind us of it on social media. The Maryland senator was fond of bribery and protected by other politicians and by higher-up policemen.

One of the veterans of the cast of 'The Wire', he started his career in the eighties. Throughout his career, he has participated in more than 50 films and television series, including 'Goodfellas' (1990), 'BlacKkKlansman' (2018), and 'Da 5 Bloods' (2020). Recently, he appeared in the series 'Your Honor' (2020-23) alongside Brian Cranston, and in the film 'Cocaine Bear' (2023).

Actor John Doman is a former Marine Corps officer and Vietnam vet, and maybe that's why he has that tough, serious face. He played a senior officer of the Baltimore police who would do anything to rise to the top of the force. Knowitalls like Detective McNulty were his biggest enemies.

Since 1995, the actor had a successful career on television and in cinema. He started with 'Oz' in 2001, triumphed with 'The Wire' (2002-08), and consolidated his status in 'Borgia' (2011-14) and 'Gotham' (2014-17). In the series 'The Affair' (2014-17), he once again worked with Dominic West.

Another trusted member of the Barksdale Organization, Wee-Bey was engaged in tasks like driving and collecting money. He had nerves of steel but wasn't always the smartest of the crew...

... in fact, one of the most famous images of Wee-Bey was turned into a meme that circulates on social media to this day. It depicts a man who's clearly processing a complex thought and who's on the verge of figuring it out.

Actor, model, and producer, Hassan Johnson made his debut in the Spike Lee film 'Clockers' in 1995. After 'The Wire', he worked on series such as 'ER' (2005-07), 'Person of Interest (2013), 'Blue Bloods' (2016), and 'Flatbush Misdemeanors' (2021-22).

Assistant to the leading state attorney in the narcotics division, Rhonda Pearlman helped McNulty and Daniels in their investigations and the prosecution of the Baltimore traffickers.

Actress Deirdre Lovejoy also appeared in 'One Step Up' (2006), as a serial killer in the series 'Bones' (2009-11), and on Broadway in the play 'Lucky Guy' (2013) with Tom Hanks. Among her recent work is the series 'Raising Dion' (2019) and the film 'Spiked' (2021).

He seemed aloof, waiting for retirement, but really got into the wiretapping job and turned out to be an excellent cop. This detective in the Baltimore Police Major Crimes Unit was experienced, intelligent, and the key in many investigations.

'Big Chief' Lambreaux on 'Treme' is another big role for Clarke Peters. He also appeared in series such as 'Person of Interest' and 'True Detective.' As for films, he made about thirty, including 'Da 5 Bloods' (2020) under the direction of Spike Lee, and 'Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody' (2022) in which he played the singer's father.

This former Narcotics sergeant was a close friend of Herc who matured over the course of the seasons in 'The Wire' with the example of the more experienced cops.

After 'The Wire', Seth Gilliam worked on other series such as 'Oz,' 'The Walking Dead,' and 'Teen Wolf.' But his success with the role of Ellis Carver was never repeated. He also had a run-in with the police in real life, when he was arrested for DUI in 2015.

This officer of the Baltimore Police Department was a staunch defender of the chain of command and a bureaucrat who eventually climbed the ladder of the police force. A colorful character played by Frankie Faison.

Frankie Faison was a known actor before becoming Ervin Burrell in 'The Wire.' Since then, he has continued in series such as 'Grey's Anatomy' (2009), 'Blue Bloods' (2009-10), 'Banshee' (2013-16), 'The Village' (2019), and 'The Rookie' (2022).

This dock worker was introduced in the second season of 'The Wire.' He worked for his uncle, Frank Sobotka, and acted as an intermediary in his uncle's smuggling operations.

From 'The Wire,' this actor made the leap to establish himself on television with his role as Porsche, corrections officer George Mendez in 'Orange is the New Black'. He has recently been a fixture in series like 'American Gods' and 'Halo.' In addition to his achievements on TV, Schreiber was nominated for a Tony Award for his character in the Broadway play 'Awake and Sing!'

Played by Lawrence Gilliard Jr., D'Angelo was an important character in the first season of 'The Wire.' He was Avon Barksdale's nephew and lieutenant in the organization, controlling most of the business in West Baltimore.

This actor's greatest roles have undoubtedly been those of D'Angelo Barksdale in 'The Wire' and Bob Stookey in 'The Walking Dead' (2013-15). Smaller parts came with series like 'CSI: New York', 'Law and Order' and movies like 'Gangs of New York' (2002). He also participated in the series 'The Deuce' (2017-19).

She was the mother to D'Angelo and the sister and mentor to her brother Avon Barksdale. Her influence was such that at some point, she began to make major decisions for the organization.

This American actress with British roots appeared on the big screen in 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend' (2015) and on stage in the musical 'Ragtime.' Recent work includes the series 'Snowfall' (2017-22) and 'The Comey Rule' (2020).

Jay Landsman was a Baltimore detective who supervised the investigations of the homicide squad. He questioned McNulty's methods at times but supported him overall. The character was based on a real detective with the same name.

After 'The Wire,' this actor appeared in several high-quality series such as 'The West Wing' (2003), 'Veep' (2013), and  'The Punisher' (2017), as well as 'Law and order', first with 'Criminal Intent' (2004) and later with 'Special Victims Unit' (2010-20) His latest work on television has been in 'We Own This City' (2022), where he also met Jamie Hector and Jermaine Crawford again after 'The Wire'.

This East Baltimore kingpin was the creator of the New Day Co-Op with Stringer Bell and the rival of Avon Barksdale and Marlo Stanfield. A manipulative type (always for his benefit), he preferred non-violent solutions in his commercial disputes.

Sadly, Robert F. Chew is another cast member of 'The Wire' who passed away. In 2013, at only 52 years of age, he had a heart attack. Before that, the actor appeared in smaller productions and worked as a teacher for young actors such as Felicia Pearson, Tristan Wilds, Julito McCullum, and Jermaine Crawford.

This ambitious politician from the city of Baltimore put his political machinations to work to gain more power. He even made it as far as Governor of Maryland.

While many remember him for the role of Carcetti in 'The Wire,' most will recognize Aidan Gillen for being Petyr Baelish in 'Game of Thrones' between 2011 and 2017. His latest works have been the movie 'Those Who Wish Me Dead' (2021) and the series 'Project Blue Book' (2019-2020).

He was the political adviser to Tommy Carcetty and the former editor of The Baltimore Sun newspaper. This (mostly) honest and intelligent character was played by actor Reg E. Cathey.

He's another actor who, unfortunately, is no longer with us. Lung cancer took him away in 2018 at the age of 59, but not before leaving his roles as Norman Wilson in 'The Wire' and Freddy in 'House of Cards' for television history. His last job was in the series 'Luke Cage', until the year of his death.

She's Felicia Pearson in reality and fiction, although in 'The Wire' she had the nickname of Snoop. She belonged to the Stanfield Organization and ended up being protected by Chris Partlow, Marlo's second-in-command and bodyguard.

Pearson is an actress, writer, and rapper. In the world of acting, she hasn't had much luck and didn't get any prominent roles, but, curiously, she seems to have wanted to bring 'The Wire' to her real life: Pearson was arrested in 2011 along with 30 others for trafficking in the city of Baltimore.

Played by Tray Chaney, Poot belonged to the Barksdale Organization. He was a member of 'The Pit' team and one of the few characters on the streets of Baltimore who appeared in all five seasons.

His time on 'The Wire' opened the road for Chaney's acting career, even though the productions haven't been that big. His role as Kendrick in 'Saints & Sinners' (2016) stands out, and a recent project is in another police series set in Baltimore: 'We Own This City' (2022).

He was another young dealer from the Baltimore underworld who did business with Ziggy Sobotka and 'The Greek' and got involved in the Barksdale Organization. The character was played by rapper Method Man.

Although he has a fairly complete filmography that includes series like 'CSI: Las Vegas' and 'Saints & Sinners,' his most recent and relevant work has been in music. He's a member of the hip-hop band Wu-Tang Clan and released several albums with them.

She was the political campaign manager for Tommy Carcetti and one of the Baltimore politician's sources of success.

Brandy Burre left the world of acting for a few years until, in 2014, director Robert Greene made the film 'Actress' with her. It was a highly acclaimed documentary about a woman who tries to get back into showbiz after starting a family. After 'Actress,' her career did not go much further.

Jamie Hector played an ambitious young gangster in the Stanfield Organization. He was a narcissistic guy who finished off anyone who disrespected him and led his gang to the top in their fight with Barksdale in the underworld of Baltimore.

Jamie Hector appeared in several productions after 'The Wire,' but none of them were of the same fame. Examples are the movies 'Max Payne' (2008) and 'The Listener' (2022) or series like 'Heroes,' 'Bosch' (2014-22) and 'We Own This City' (2022).

Brought to the screen by the young actor Tristan Wilds, Michael Lee was a boy with a complicated family life of precariousness and abuse. He ended up becoming a protégé of Marlo Stanfield.

He stood out in 'The Wire' and would do it again years later, between 2008 and 2013, as Dixon Wilson in the series '90210' (a spin-off of 'Beverly Hills, 90210'). Beyond that, his career did not go much further, although the series 'Shots Fired' (2017) and 'Swagger' (2021) are worth mentioning.

A character brought to the screen by the actor Gbenga Akinnagbe, Chris Partlow was the bodyguard and second in command of Marlo Stanfield. He would also take young Michael Lee under his wing.

A writer as well as an actor, Gbenga Akinnagbe can boast in his filmography roles such as Larry Brown in 'The Deuce' and Dave Freedland in the movie 'Passing' (2021). In 2022, he worked on the series 'Power Book II: Ghost' and 'The Old Man.'

He was the son of dock worker Frank Sobotka and also did some jobs in the port of Baltimore. Mostly, however, he tended to get into trouble with the law, bringing the police too close for comfort to his father and his own schemes.

'The Wire' helped James Ransone make the definitive leap into the world of acting. He has stood out in roles such as that of the marine Josh Ray in the miniseries 'Generation Kill' (2008), the Deputy from the 'Sinister' horror films 'Sinister' (2012 and 2015), and Eddie Kaspbrak in 'It' (2017).

Slim Charles, a member of the Barksdale Organization, ended up being Proposition Joe's lieutenant. This competent and loyal criminal was played by actor and rapper Anwan Glover.

Glover founded the BackYard Band and spent most of his time on music. We could also see him in 'The Deuce' (2017-19), however, and in 'We Own This City' (2022), a series in which many of the 'Wire' cast returned.

Bunny Colvin was the commander of the Baltimore Police in the western district and a staunch defender of the chain of command. However, once he got to know the detrimental effects of its fight against traffickers, he decided to break with the bureaucracy of the department.

After appearing in 'The Wire', Robert Wisdom co-starred in films such as 'Ray' (2004) and 'Freedom Writers' (2007). As for television, he was a Panamanian boss in 'Prison Break'; made a cameo in 'How I Met Your Mother' in 2009; played Inspector Sterling in 'Happy Town' (2010), and appeared regularly as Coleman Carlisle in 'Nashville' (2012-13). Recent projects were the series 'Barry' and 'Black Bird' in 2022.

This delinquent tried to reform himself by setting up a boxing gym for neighborhood kids. However, after he began working for Avon Barksdale, he got caught and had to serve a 14-year prison sentence.

This actor began his career in 1992 but made sporadic TV appearances before 'The Wire.' Since then, he hasn't stopped working, with noteworthy projects like 'The Walking Dead' (2012-15) and 'Arrow' (2016). An interesting recent role is that of supervillain Bruno Mannheim in the series 'Superman & Lois' (2023).

A student at Edward Tilghman High School, this Baltimore kid had a family life of poverty and chaos. As he often went to school in dirty clothes, he got the nickname 'Dukie.'

Crawford is the cousin of Tristan Wilds, his co-star in 'The Wire,' and that helped him get his first job as an actor. Since then, he returned in several small roles on the big and small screen before getting his 'Wire' comeback with the series 'We Own This City' in 2022.

Played by Julito McCullum, Namond Brice was a high school student who befriended Michael Lee and Randy Wagstaff. He lived a relatively comfortable life because of the money his father, Wee-Bey Brice, made with the Barksdale Organization.

Julito McCullum's career as an actor has not been all too spectacular, but after 'The Wire', we could see him in series like 'Law and Order' (2008-09), 'Blue Bloods' ( 2013), 'Show me a Hero' (2015), and 'Madam Secretary' (2015), as well as the independent film 'God Bless You' (2019).