10 The Wire Actors Who Went On To Have Massive Movie & TV Careers

Many amazing actors went on to have successful careers in movies and TV after appearing in the acclaimed crime thriller TV show The Wire. The show depicts a fictionalized version of the Baltimore drug trade with the main cast comprising law enforcers and drug lords. Among the cast and crew of The Wire are some present-day stars and directors whose involvement with the show is not widely known, such as Michael B. Jordan and Tom McCarthy.

The Wire is considered one of the best TV shows of all time and, unsurprisingly, includes the breakout performances of several brilliant actors. Some of these actors, such as Aidan Gillen, took on roles similar to their Wire characters. Others, such as Idris Elba, demonstrated more general talent and would go on to be cast as a variety of different character archetypes. Nonetheless, The Wire has stood the test of time and still proves to be an excellent show featuring many talented actors.

10 Idris Elba

Best known for Luther (2010-2019), Beasts of No Nation (2015), and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).

The biggest star to come from The Wire does not appear in the most episodes, but Idris Elba doubtlessly gave an amazing performance. Since retiring from playing Russell “Stringer” Bell, the businessman behind the Barksdale organization’s drug trafficking, Elba has played many different characters in a variety of genres. He starred in various action franchises, including Pacific Rim, Fast & Furious, and the MCU, as well as acclaimed dramas such as Beasts of No Nation and Molly’s Game.

Additionally, Disney appears to be eager to have Elba appear in as many of the studio’s movies as possible: He voiced characters in Zootopia, Finding Dory, and the live-action Jungle Book. Elba has developed a wide-ranging repertoire and has a commanding presence in every movie he is in. While Elba says that The Wire actually hurt his career, he is still very successful and has several more completed upcoming movies.

9 Lance Reddick

Best known for White House Down (2013) and John Wick (2014).

Lance Reddick played Lt. Cedric Daniels, a tough and intelligent police officer turned criminal defense attorney. After The Wire, Reddick became known for playing Charon, the suave concierge of the Continental Hotel, in the John Wick movies. He is also known for voice-acting characters in various video games. Reddick sadly passed away in March 2023. Among his final performances were John Wick: Chapter 4 and a masterful rendition of Zeus in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Several more movies Reddick completed before his death are coming out in the future, including the John Wick spinoff Ballerina.

8 Dominic West

Best known for The Square (2017) and The Crown (2016-2023).

Reddick’s Cedric Daniels and Dominic West’s Jimmy McNulty are both among the characters that appear in every episode of The Wire. Det. McNulty, a hot-headed and determined officer, can be characterized as the show’s main character — but probably not its best character. Since The Wire, West has had some important roles in major movies and television shows. He starred in the Oscar-nominated movie The Square and had a supporting role in Downton Abbey: A New Era. However, West’s most significant title besides The Wire is The Crown. West played Prince Charles for the show’s final two seasons.

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7 Michael B. Jordan

Best known for Creed (2015) and Black Panther (2018).

Michael B. Jordan credited his role in The Wire with launching him to fame. At 15 years old, Jordan played Wallace, a young drug dealer who has a brief arc in season 1 before he is killed on Stringer’s orders. Even before this, Jordan played the role of “Rideland Kid” in The Sopranos. Today, Jordan is not known for crime dramas but for breathtaking action movies. He proved to be a worthy successor to Sylvester Stallone in the Creed movies and played the amazing antagonist Erik “Killmonger” Stevens in the Black Panther movies.

6 Aidan Gillen

Best known for Game of Thrones (2011-2019).

Aidan Gillen played Tommy Carcetti, who first appeared in season 3. During his arc, Carcetti runs for mayor and then governor, all the while proving that his personal ambitions will always overpower his idealistic propositions for reform. Gillen’s performance as a corrupted politician may have directed him toward a similar role after the show’s end.

Shortly after The Wire concluded, Gillen landed the role of Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish in Game of Thrones. Littlefinger is more intelligent and manipulative than Carcetti and is making steady progress towards his goal of gaining more power in Westeros — until the Stark siblings realize the nature of his treason and execute him. Gillen has also appeared in Bohemian Rhapsody, Peaky Blinders, and the Maze Runner movies.

5 Michael K. Williams

Best known for Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014) and 12 Years a Slave (2013).

Few characters in The Wire are as complex or iconic as Michael K. Williams’ Omar Little, who regularly robs Baltimore’s drug lords. Also known as Michael Kenneth Williams, the actor followed up The Wire by starring in another crime drama, Boardwalk Empire. His character Chalky White is the leader of a Prohibition-era organized crime syndicate in New Jersey. Williams also had roles in RoboCop, Assassin’s Creed, and the Best Picture winner 12 Years a Slave. Williams passed away in September 2021 but completed a currently unreleased TV Show.

4 Seth Gilliam

Best known for Teen Wolf (2011-2017) and The Walking Dead (2010-2022).

Seth Gilliam also appears in every episode of The Wire as narcotics detective Ellis Carver, who becomes a notably better police officer throughout the series. Gilliam landed two more long-term roles in popular TV shows. First, he played Dr. Alan Deaton in Teen Wolf. However, Gilliam’s most noteworthy post-Wire performance is as part of the cast of The Walking Dead. His character Father Gabriel Stokes is one of the long-term survivors, who was initially one of the show’s most disliked characters. However, Stokes redeems himself in the Walking Dead series finale when he saves hundreds of lives.

3 Amy Ryan

Best known for The Office (2005-2013) and Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014).

Amy Ryan’s Beatrice “Beadie” Russell is a rare character in The Wire who isn’t ambitious to the point of betraying others. She is down-to-earth and caring and works as a port patrol officer to support her two children after being abandoned by their father. She contrasts with McNulty when they begin dating in season 3. After The Wire, Ryan played the recurring character Holly Flax in The Office. She also played Sylvia in the Best Picture winner Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).

2 Chad Coleman

Best known for The Walking Dead (2010-2022) and The Orville (2017-Present).

Chad Coleman gave a noteworthy performance as Dennis “Cutty” Wise, a former member of the Barksdale Crew who leaves the Organization upon being released from prison to open a boxing gym for kids in his neighborhood. Coleman also had a recurring role in The Walking Dead, playing Tyreese Williams. Tyreese was an important figure to the main characters up until his devastating death in The Walking Dead season 5. Coleman also has a role in The Orville, a show which has been in limbo for years.

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1 Tom McCarthy

Best known for The Station Agent (2003) and Spotlight (2015).

Tom McCarthy played the minor role of Scott Templeton before going down a different career path. Templeton only appears in season 8; he is a general assignment reporter who fabricates stories to advance his career. Before The Wire, McCarthy wrote and directed The Station Agent, which is regarded as Peter Dinklage’s breakout. McCarthy has done some more acting and producing, but today his claim to fame is as the writer and director of the Best Picture winner Spotlight. This demonstrates how the cast of The Wire went on to have careers in different areas of movies and TV.

The Wire

The Wire is an American crime drama starring Dominic West and Lance Reddick. The show follows Detective James ‘Jimmy’ McNulty as he tackles the drug scene in Baltimore, Maryland. The HBO series was praised throughout its run, even winning two Primetime Emmy Awards. The Wire aired on HBO between 2002 and 2008 for a total of 60 episodes.

Release Date

June 2, 2002

Seasons

5

Showrunner

David Simon