Emmy Award-nominated actor Michael K. Williams, best known for his roles in HBO shows The Wire and Lovecraft Country, died Monday afternoon. He was 54 years old. 

The actor, who received a 2021 Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for his appearance in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment by family members, according to The New York Times. The cause of death was not revealed but the death was being investigated as a possible drug overdose, the Times reported. 

Williams is arguably best known for his role as Omar Little in HBO’s drama series The Wire. Williams also appeared in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.

HBO in a tweet said it was “devastated" to learn of Williams’ passing, adding that Williams has been an HBO family member for more than 20 years.

Williams also starred in SundanceTV's dark comedy series Hap and Leonard in the late 2010's. In a 2018 interview with Multichannel News, Williams talked about the  burgeoning opportunities actors and producers of color are finding on television.

Williams also garnered other Emmy nods in past years for acting performances in such shows as Netflix's When They See Us, and HBO's The Night Of and Bessie. When They See Us executive producer Ava DuVernay Monday posted on social media that Williams was a "flash of love -- now gone. But never forgotten." 

Read Also: Observations from the 2021 Emmy Awards Nominations

Netflix drew the most NAACP Image Awards nominations in the TV category, according to the civil rights organization.

The streaming service drew 30 nominations for NAACP Image Awards -- which honors the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature, and film --for such shows as Dear White People and When They See Us

BET on Feb. 22 will air live the 51st annual NAACP Image Awards ceremony for the first time after reaching a distribution deal with the civil rights organization this past November. 

“This is a historic occasion for BET Networks, and we’re thrilled to be able to celebrate our network’s 40th anniversary in conjunction with this milestone moment of hosting the NAACP Image Awards,” said Scott Mills, President of BET Networks in a statement. “It is our distinct privilege to be able to acknowledge contributions of talent in TV, music, movies and literature and we look forward to celebrating these contributions next month.”

RELATED: NAACP's Derrick Johnson says Image Awards Holds Media Accountable For Projecting Positive Images Of People Of Color 

A partial list of BET Image Awards Nominations in the Television category are as follows:

Outstanding Comedy Series

• “Ballers” (HBO)
• “black-ish” (ABC)
• “Dear White People” (Netflix)
• “grown-ish” (Freeform)
• “theNeighborhood” (CBS)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

• Anthony Anderson – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Cedric The Entertainer – “theNeighborhood” (CBS)
• Don Cheadle – “Black Monday” (Showtime)
• Dwayne Johnson – “Ballers” (HBO)
• Tracy Morgan – “The Last O.G.” (TBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

• Logan Browning – “Dear White People” (Netflix)
• Jill Scott – “First Wives Club” (BET+)
• Tiffany Haddish – “The Last O.G.” (TBS)
• Tracee Ellis Ross – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Yara Shahidi – “grown-ish” (Freeform)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Andre Braugher – “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (NBC)
• Deon Cole – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Laurence Fishburne – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Terry Crews – “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (NBC)
• Tituss Burgess – “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Halle Bailey – “grown-ish” (Freeform)
• Loretta Devine – “Family Reunion” (Netflix)
• Marsai Martin – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Regina Hall – “Black Monday” (Showtime)
• Tichina Arnold – “the Neighborhood” (CBS)

Outstanding Drama Series

• “Godfather of Harlem” (EPIX)
• “Greenleaf” (OWN)
• “Queen Sugar” (OWN)
• “The Chi” (Showtime)
• “Watchmen” (HBO)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

• Billy Porter – “Pose” (FX Networks)
• Forest Whitaker – “Godfather of Harlem” (EPIX)
• Kofi Siriboe – “Queen Sugar” (OWN)
• Omari Hardwick – “Power” (Starz)
• Sterling K. Brown – “This Is Us” (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

• Angela Bassett – “9-1-1” (FOX)
• Regina King – “Watchmen” (HBO)
• Rutina Wesley – “Queen Sugar” (OWN)
• Simone Missick – “All Rise” (CBS)
• Viola Davis – “How to Get Away with Murder” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• Delroy Lindo – “The Good Fight” (CBS All Access)
• Giancarlo Esposito – “Godfather of Harlem” (EPIX)
• Harold Perrineau – “Claws” (TNT)
• Nigél Thatch – “Godfather of Harlem” (EPIX)
• Wendell Pierce – “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” (Prime Video)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• CCH Pounder – “NCIS: New Orleans” (CBS)
• Lynn Whitfield – “Greenleaf” (OWN)
• Lyric Ross – “This Is Us” (NBC)
• Susan Kelechi Watson – “This Is Us” (NBC)
• Tina Lifford – “Queen Sugar” (OWN)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

• American Son (Netflix)
• Being Mary Jane (BET Networks)
• Native Son (HBO)
• True Detective (HBO)
• When They See Us (Netflix)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

• Caleel Harris – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Ethan Henru Herisse – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Idris Elba – “Luther” (BBC America)
• Jharrel Jerome – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Mahershala Ali – “True Detective” (HBO)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

• Aunjanue Ellis – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Gabrielle Union – “Being Mary Jane” (BET Networks)
• Kerry Washington – “American Son” (Netflix)
• Niecy Nash – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Octavia Spencer – “Truth Be Told” (Apple TV+)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

• PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools (PBS)
• Surviving R. Kelly (Lifetime)
• The Breakfast Club (REVOLT)
• The Story of God with Morgan Freeman (National Geographic)
• Unsung (TV One)

Outstanding Talk Series

• “Red Table Talk” (Facebook Watch)
• “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” (Comedy Central)
• “The Real” (Syndicated)
• “The Shop: Uninterrupted” (HBO)
• “The Tamron Hall Show” (Syndicated)

Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Series/Game Show

• “Iyanla: Fix My Life” (OWN)
• “Lip Sync Battle” (Paramount Network)
• “Rhythm + Flow” (Netflix)
• “Sunday Best” (BET Networks)
• “The Voice” (NBC)

Outstanding Variety (Series or Special)

• “2019 Black Girls Rock!” (BET Networks)
• “Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones” (Netflix)
• “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé” (Netflix)
• “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
• “Wanda Sykes: Not Normal” (Netflix)

Outstanding Children’s Program

• “Doc McStuffins” (Disney Junior)
• “Family Reunion” (Netflix)
• “Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History” (Netflix)
• “Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest” (Disney XD)
• “Motown Magic” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)

• Caleel Harris – “When They See Us” (Netflix)
• Lonnie Chavis – “This Is Us” (NBC)
• Lyric Ross – “This Is Us” (NBC)
• Marsai Martin – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Miles Brown – “black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

• Angela Rye – “Young Gifted and Broke: A BET Town Hall” (BET Networks)
• Jada Pinkett Smith – “Red Table Talk” (Facebook Watch)
• Lester Holt – “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” (NBC)
• Trevor Noah – “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” (Comedy Central)
• Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Meghan McCain, Abby Huntsman, Ana Navarro – “The View” (ABC)

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

• Iyanla Vanzant – “Iyanla: Fix My Life” (OWN)
• LL Cool J – “Lip Sync Battle” (Paramount Network)
• Regina Hall – “2019 BET Awards” (BET Networks)
• Steve Harvey – “Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC)
• Wayne Brady – “Let’s Make A Deal” (CBS)

Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy or Drama Series

• Blair Underwood – “Dear White People” ( Netflix)
• David Alan Grier – “Queen Sugar” (OWN)
• Kelly Rowland – “American Soul” (BET Networks)
• – “STAR” (FOX)
• Sanaa Lathan – “The Affair” (Showtime)

TV’s summer season kicks into high gear this week with a number of new series premieres including AMC’s horror series NOS4A2 and Epix’s Perpetual Grace as well as the return of such shows as TNT’s Animal Kingdom and AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services:

May 28 -- Animal Kingdom (returning series) -- TNT

May 28 -- Running with Beto (movie) -- HBO

May 29 -- State Of Pride (movie) -- YouTube

May 29 -- Archer: 1999 (returning series) -- FXX

May 31 -- Always Be My Maybe (movie) -- Netflix

May 31 -- Deadwood: The Movie (movie) -- HBO

May 31 -- Good Omens (series) -- Prime Video

May 31 -- Swamp Thing (series) -- DC Universe

May 31 -- When They See Us (miniseries) -- Netflix

June 2 -- American Princess (series) -- Lifetime

June 2 -- Fear The Walking Dead (returning series) -- AMC

June 2 -- Luther (miniseries) -- BBC America

June 2 -- NOS4A2 (series) -- AMC

June 2 -- Perpetual Grace (series) -- Epix

June 2 -- The Weekly (news) -- FX 

Netflix Friday released the first video from the upcoming Ava DuVernay-produced limited series When They See Us, which debuts May 31.

The four-part limited series will chronicle the notorious case of five teenagers of color, labeled the Central Park Five, who were convicted of a rape they did not commit, according to Netflix.

When They See Us was created by Ava DuVernay, who also co-wrote and directed the four parts. Executive producers for the series include DuVernay; Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King from Participant Media; Oprah Winfrey from Harpo Films; and Jane Rosenthal, Berry Welsh and Robert De Niro from Tribeca Productions.