cheat code

A Handy Guide to HBO’s Favorite Actors

By

Sharp-eyed fans of HBO may notice certain faces popping up repeatedly — for example, a recently dispatched Game of Thrones conniver (Aidan Gillen) also appeared as the mayor of Baltimore on The Wire. Over the years, the network has assembled a semi-official repertory company of actors. Here are six of the busiest.

Michael K. Williams

In The Wire as Omar Little, Boardwalk Empire as Chalky White, and The Night Of as Freddy Knight.

You’ve seen him as: noble criminals and assorted kingpins.

Aidan Gillen

In The Wire as Mayor Tommy Carcetti and Game of Thrones as Petyr “Littlefinger†Baelish.

You’ve seen him as: cunning plotters.

Robin Weigert

In Deadwood as Calamity Jane and Big Little Lies as Dr. Amanda Reisman.

You’ve seen her as: whiskey-soaked barstool prophets and sympathy-exuding therapists.

J. D. Williams

In Oz as Kenny “Bricks†Wangler, The Wire as Preston “Bodie†Broadus, and The Night Of as Trevor Williams.

You’ve seen him as: street-corner hustlers and miscreants who can’t catch a break.

Michael Potts

In The Wire as Brother Mouzone and True Detective as Det. Maynard Gilbough.

You’ve seen him as: straitlaced Nation of Islam leaders and dogged homicide detectives.

Paul Ben-Victor

Clockwise from top-left: In Entourage as Alan Gray, Curb Your Enthusiasm as ticket scalper, The Wire as Spiros “Vondas†Vondopoulos, Vinyl as Maury Gold, John from Cincinnati as Palaka, and True Detective as Maj. Leroy Salter.

You’ve seen him as: studio bosses, ticket scalpers, dockyard drug moguls, slippery cops, henchmen, and record executives.

*This article appears in the September 4, 2017, issue of New York Magazine.

Tags:

A Handy Guide to HBO’s Favorite Actors