'The Wire' Cast: Where Are They Now?

HBO has released plenty of hit series over the years, but few can compete with The Wire when it comes to critical acclaim and fan enthusiasm. The Baltimore-set crime drama, which aired from 2002 to 2008, has repeatedly been named one of the best TV shows of all time, and former President Barack Obama has said that it's his favorite series ever. The Wire was only nominated for two Emmys during its run, winning neither, but some observers consider this one of the awards show's biggest snubs in history. Though the series has been off the air for quite a while, some cast members have said that they still frequently get recognized for their roles. "I thought, at the time, that nobody was paying much attention,” Isiah Whitlock Jr., who played corrupt state senator Clay Davis, told The Guardian in March 2018. “More people recognize me from the show than they ever did. I run into people who have just seen it and they want to talk to me about it. I have to tell them it was 10 years ago." [jwplayer tV7N8JYT-zhNYySv2] Idris Elba, who played Russell "Stringer" Bell, has credited the show with catapulting his career to a different level. He had appeared in films and TV series before his turn in the first three seasons of The Wire, but he was not yet a leading man. "Nothing's gotten me more work than The Wire, nothing," the Prometheus actor told The Scotsman in February 2010. "It's had a very, very slow drip effect, only now opening doors for me with Luther." (Elba landed the titular role on the BBC crime drama Luther two years after The Wire aired its final episode.) When the show originally aired, it was praised for its realistic look at what goes on in the halls of power, with each season focusing on a different part of the city: the police department, the newspaper, the school system and so on. Cocreator Ed Burns points to that realism as one reason that the series still has such staying power. "This show will live forever, because what it tries to portray will be around forever," the former detective told The New York Times in May 2022. "It’s just getting worse and worse. That’s all. And it’s expanding; it’s not just an urban thing anymore. It’s everywhere." Keep scrolling to see what the cast of The Wire is doing now.

The U.K. native played Detective Jimmy McNulty in all five seasons of the show. He went on to star in films including John Carter, Johnny English Reborn, Colette, Tomb Raider and Downton Abbey: A New Era. From 2014 to 2019, he played Noah Solloway on The Affair, a role which earned him a Golden Globe nomination. His other TV credits include The Pursuit of Love and The Hour. He is set to play Prince Charles in seasons 5 and 6 of Netflix's The Crown.

West has been married to Catherine FitzGerald, with whom he shares four children, since 2010. He also shares a daughter with ex-girlfriend Polly Astor. In October 2020, the 300 star was spotted kissing Lily James, but he and FitzGerald later released a statement confirming that they are "very much still together."

After playing Stringer Bell, Elba went on to rack up credits in films including American Gangster, Obsessed, Thor, Prometheus, Star Trek Beyond, The Suicide Squad and Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw. Elba earned four Emmy nominations for his portrayal of the titular character on Luther and won a Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe for his performance. He is also an accomplished musician, having released several mixtapes and regularly performing as a DJ.

Elba was married to Hanne Nørgaard from 1999 to 2003 and to Sonya Nicole Hamlin for four months in 2006. He shares one daughter with Hamlin and a son with ex-girlfriend Naiyana Garth. The Pacific Rim star has been married to Sabrina Dhowre since 2019.

Pierce starred as William "Bunk" Moreland, a Baltimore detective who was BFFs with McNulty. He reunited with The Wire cocreator David Simon for Treme, which aired on HBO from 2010 to 2013. The Waiting to Exhale actor has also appeared in films and TV shows including Suits, Ray Donovan, Horrible Bosses, Selma and Bad Moms. In 2012, he appeared on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning play Clybourne Park.

The New York City native appeared as stick-up man Omar Little, one of the most well-known characters from The Wire. Williams went on to play Albert "Chalky" White on Boardwalk Empire from 2010 to 2014. He also starred in 12 Years a Slave, Inherent Vice, Motherless Brooklyn, Lovecraft Country and When They See Us, and he hosted two seasons of a Vice docuseries titled Black Market With Michael K. Williams. A posthumous memoir, Scenes from My Life, is due out in August 2022. In an excerpt from the book released ahead of its publication, Williams revealed that he was so high on cocaine during a 2008 meeting with former President Barack Obama that he had lockjaw and couldn't speak. 

In September 2021, Williams died of a drug overdose at age 54. He did not have any biological children, but he helped raise chef Karim Anderson and his siblings Elijah and Chanel.

Harris starred as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale. The Chicago native later starred in Justified, Empire, The Last O.G., Space Jam: A New Legacy and Blade Runner 2049. In 2015, he reunited with his Wire costar Michael B. Jordan for Creed; he's set to reprise his role as Tony "Little Duke" Evers in the 2022 sequel Creed III. In 2022, he played former NBA star Spencer Haywood in HBO's Winning Time.

The Remember the Titans star has been married to Rebekah Harris, with whom he shares two kids, since 2001.

The Texas native played Rhonda Pearlman, the assistant district attorney who served as the police department's legal liaison. Her later TV credits include Bones, Girls, American Horror Story: Asylum, The Blacklist and Orange Is the New Black. She has also appeared in Bad Teacher, The Post and Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk.

Royo appeared as the recovering addict and police informant Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins. He reunited with Harris on Empire, in which he played Thirsty Rawlings, who was Lucious Lyon's (Terrence Howard) lawyer. His other TV roles include Fringe, Kingdom, Masters of Sex, Truth Be Told and With Love.

The Spectacular Now actor married Jane Choi, with whom he shares daughter Stella, in November 1997. In June 2020, Choi filed for divorce.

The Baltimore native played Cedric Daniels, who supervised the police department's narcotics unit. He later appeared in TV series including Lost, Fringe, The Blacklist, Bosch, Paradise PD and Resident Evil. His many film roles include White House Down, Jonah Hex, John Wick and Godzilla vs. Kong. In 2023, he is set to reprise his role as Charon in John Wick: Chapter 4.

Reddick married Stephanie Day in 2011. The couple are the parents of daughter Yvonne and son Christopher. In March 2023, Reddick died suddenly from natural causes at age 60 amid the press tour for John Wick: Chapter 4.

Sohn starred as the BPD detective Kima Greggs. She went on to appear in The Good Wife, The Originals and Luke Cage. Since 2018, she has played Laverne Johnson on The Chi, beginning her tenure as Dr. Gabrielle Burnham on Star Trek: Discovery one year later.

The Slam screenwriter was married to Adam Plack from 2003 to 2011. The former spouses share two children.

The New York City native appeared as stoic BPD detective Lester Freamon. In 2014, he reunited with Reddick in John Wick. He also starred alongside Pierce in Simon's series Treme. His other film and TV roles include Person of Interest, True Detective, Da 5 Bloods, His Dark Materials and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. In 2022, he played Josiah Falls in the Apple TV+ series The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Peters shares two children with ex-wife Janine Martyne. He also has a son, Joe Jacobs, with ex Joanna Jacobs. Their son Guppy died of a kidney tumor in 1992 at age 4. He and wife Penny Peters share son Max.

After playing police commissioner Ervin Burrell, Faison went on to star in One Life to Live, The Good Wife, Banshee, Luke Cage, The Village and The Rookie.

The Do the Right Thing star has been married to Jane Mandel, with whom he shares three children, since 1988.

Doman appeared as police superintendent William Rawls. The Philadelphia native later starred in Rizzoli & Isles, Borgia, Person of Interest, Gotham and The Boys. He also reunited with West as Bruce Butler in The Affair.

The ER alum was married to Linda Lee Rudloff from 1981 until her death in 2014. He tied the knot with Elizabeth Donnelly in 2019.

The New York City native made her Wire debut in season 2 as port authority officer Beatrice Russell. Ryan went on to star in movies including Win Win, Birdman, Bridge of Spies, Beautiful Boy and Lost Girls. From 2008 to 2011, she played Holly Flax on The Office. Her other TV roles include High Maintenance, Broad City and Only Murders in the Building.

The Oscar nominee shares daughter Gracie with husband Eric Slovin, whom she wed in 2011.

The Ireland native starred as Baltimore politician Tommy Carcetti, who started his career on the city council. Gillen went on to play Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish on Game of Thrones from 2011 to 2017. His other TV credits include Peaky Blinders, Project Blue Book and Mayor of Kingstown. In 2018, he played Queen's former manager John Reid in the Oscar-winning film Bohemian Rhapsody.

Gillen shares two children with ex-wife Olivia O'Flanagan. He has been dating Camille O'Sullivan since 2014.

True-Frost appeared as the initially incompetent detective Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski. Like Pierce and Peters, he returned to the Simon fold in Treme. His other TV credits include Boardwalk Empire, Yellowstone, Hostages, Madam Secretary and Manifest. In 2022, he had a guest starring role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

The Saint Frances actor shares two children with his wife, Cora True-Frost.

The New York City native played BPD officer Ellis Carver. Since 2014, Gilliam has played Father Gabriel Stokes on AMC's The Walking Dead, which featured several Wire alums over the years. He has also appeared in Damages, Nurse Jackie, Homeland and Teen Wolf.

The Goodfellas actor starred as corrupt politician Clay Davis. He is a frequent collaborator of Spike Lee, having appeared in Chi-Raq, BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods (alongside fellow Wire alum Peters). In 2022, he voiced Commander Burnside in Disney's Lightyear. Whitlock Jr.'s numerous TV credits include Atlanta, Veep and Your Honor.

Lombardozzi played Carver's partner and friend Thomas "Herc" Hauk. He later appeared in Bridge of Spies, The Irishman and The King of Staten Island. He reunited with Williams as Ralph Capone in Boardwalk Empire. In 2022, he appeared in Simon's latest TV project We Own This City. He is also set to appear in the upcoming film Armageddon Time alongside Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain.  

After playing Dennis "Cutty" Wise on The Wire, Coleman went on to star as Tyreese on The Walking Dead from 2012 to 2015. He has played Klyden on The Orville since 2017 and has appeared on shows including The Expanse, All American and Arrow.

Coleman shares two children with ex-wife Sally Stewart, whom he divorced in 2010.

Wisdom played police major Howard "Bunny" Colvin starting in season 2. He later starred in Motherless Brooklyn, Vacation Friends and A Journal for Jordan. His other TV roles include Ballers, The Alienist, Watchmen and Barry.  

The Friday Night Lights alum had a small but memorable role as Wallace, who was shot on orders from Stringer Bell. Jordan went on to star in Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Just Mercy and Without Remorse. In 2022, he is set to appear in Creed III alongside fellow Wire alum Harris.

From 2020 to 2022, the Fantastic Four star dated Lori Harvey.