The Wire Cast: Where Are They Now?
16. Wood Harris
As Avon Barksdale, Wood Harris took a character that could devolve into cliche - the smooth, hot tempered crime boss - and turned in a measured and subtle performance of great weight. The lithe, swaggering Harris physically conveys the power of Avon without ever resorting to histrionics or gangster tropes.
Since then, the actor has been in significant demand. Perhaps his finest film role has been that of Tony Evers in the Creed movies (reuniting him with another Wire alum), and he has enjoyed parts in similarly major propositions like Ant Man and Blade Runner 2049.
He had a four episode arc in brilliant crime drama Justified, and returned to his gangster roots for Empire, playing Damon Cross, an international criminal and love rival to Terrence Howard’s lead - he was a featured player for the final two seasons.
Harris is also a part-time musician, releasing his debut album in 2005. He has a long gestating passion project in which he would star as Nathaniel Clifton, a pioneering black NBA player, which has remained stuck in development for 12 years now.