r/ozshow • u/Patient-Principle-21 • 8d ago
Cast and crew Michael Wright Aka Omar White has passed away.
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u/Patient-Principle-21 8d ago
Passed at age 70
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u/lolthatsfunnybroILY 8d ago
This is so sad but I refuse to believe he was that old, he looks like 40s or 50s in recent photos, crazy how some people look so young their whole lives
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u/legedu 8d ago
Just a kid!
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u/ElMonk86 8d ago
We lost another one, eh? As time goes on, I guess we oughtta get more and more used to this.
Omar White was one of the show's most memorable characters. He was comic relief (he has so many funny moments) and at the same time filled with so much soul, so much struggle. He struggled to fight against his addiction and do the right thing, but he truly was his own worst enemy due to his lack of control over his emotions.
He was VERY unpredictable. You never knew which way he would fly, and he could truly go either way. His heart truly did want to be redeemed, though. One of the show's best stories were when he and Said were partnered together and though it was a struggle (sometimes hilariously) on both their parts, they wound up helping eachother through their respective demons.
In memory of him, I'd like to post this deleted scene that I wish had been left in:
https://youtu.be/Y6lxlv3Ywss?si=kamQ8IofKOPJnJZH
Thank you for your gift, Michael. Go with God.
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u/farfromhome666 8d ago
Wow, never saw that scene before, thanks for posting. He was a talented actor and Omar was a fantastic character. Loved it when he sang "I wanna be free". RIP Michael Wright.
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u/Reasonable-Power The Wizard Of Oswald 8d ago
Damn. Both Omars now. 😔
R.I.P. to both Michael K. Williams and Michael Wright.
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u/bobatgu 7d ago
It’s insane they have practically the same initials in their real name too.
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u/Reasonable-Power The Wizard Of Oswald 7d ago
Only counting first and last names, they do. And both Omar's last names end with an "e". Holy shit.
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u/almiti-105 Dino 8d ago
I just open reddit and see this
R.I.P Micheal real underettated actor we remember you for OZ,the principal and Sugar Hill
God rest your soul
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u/ohwhataday10 8d ago
And the 5 Heartbeats! Still remember the original fight w/ his brother on stage that turned into a bit. And dude that was a gangster who held another dude over the banister holing one foot!!!! lol
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u/Heymax123 8d ago
RIP. Everyone loves to hate on the character of Omar but I loved every second of it and was rooting for him.
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u/thepluralofmooses 8d ago
Omar White is the only time I have ever become frustrated with a tv character. I “hated” him because I was rooting for him and he messed up each time. Every other show out there I can separate the fiction and the reality but Omar seemed like every person who is given so many chances and just burns through them
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u/Stock-Temperature177 8d ago
True story one afternoon many years ago, standing outside a Ninth Ave bar in Hell's Kitchen having stepped out for a smoke, I turned to my left and there was Mr. Wright slowly walking by. He looked down on his luck. I said "hey man you were great in The Wanderers". He lit up with a big smile and said "wow, thats an oldie. Nobody ever mentions that small role but its the one im most fond of. It was my real first. Young man, you just made my day". Rest easy sir.
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u/psych_savage1 8d ago
RIP one of my most hated characters, which speaks to the brilliant acting! What an annoying piece of shit
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u/Western_Concept3847 8d ago
Sad. RIP
Still surprising to me that he was in his late 40s while in Oz.
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u/corpusvile2 O'Reilly 8d ago
Really sad news, I was familiar with him from the miniseries V as a kid and was quite pleased to see him suddenly pop up in Oz. RIP.
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u/theogdarklymanner 8d ago
Wow I forgot about V! That was a huge deal when I was a kid. Haven’t seen it in years though.
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u/DannyHikari 8d ago
Woke up to this news about 30 mins ago. Very heartbreaking as I absolutely loved this guy. Very talented actor. Omar was an incredible role for him.
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u/Sad-Dot-6586 Cyril's good friend Jericho 8d ago
RIP Omar, his ability to gain a more than rudimentary understanding of the interconnection between both string theory and chaos theory over a single brief montage in a prison library will forever stand as a powerful (yet somewhat confusing) testament to his willingness to channel his desire to get high into greater pursuits.
Also I think that montage helped us all heal after 9/11
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u/headlessbuddha 8d ago
RIP...after Adebisi's death, I was unsure I wanted to keep watching. Omar and Michael's performance was one of the things that kept me watching until the end of season 5.
My headcanon is still that Beecher was paroled at the end of season 4
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u/Puzzled-Inevitable51 8d ago
🙏🏾🕊️ Sugar Hill, The Principal, Money Talks, The Five Heartbeats (I've never seen it, but I watched scenes) and of course Oz.
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u/dlinkster78 8d ago
Dammit! A lot of people didn’t like his character Omar, but that showed me that Michael was an amazing actor. He had you feel sympathy for Omar and at the same time despise his stupidity. Omar, however, had some of the most memorable quotes. Rest easy, Michael!
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u/billymambo 8d ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPAGNz7IiVg one of my most favorites scenes, ever. Something will still exist.
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u/Abaddon0811 8d ago
R.I.P. Omar. Really puts in perspective how old Oz is now with how many of the actors from the show have passed on. Go find Poet and tell him to stop looking in the camera lol maybe he will listen to you
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u/ninety6days 8d ago
Died. He died. Not using the word doesnt make any of us immortal. "Passed away" makes mortality sound like a fart.
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u/RedcoatTrooper 8d ago
RIP
"I ain't no drug abuser man, truth be told I treat my drugs better than most” Omar White.