Ranking the Careers of 'The Wire' Cast, 10 Years After the Series Finale

Character played: Thomas Klebanow

Notable roles since: Gale Boetticher in Breaking Bad, James Ashley in Lincoln, Daniel Hardman in Suits

Character played: Norman Wilson

Notable roles since: Franklin Storm in Fantastic Four, Freddy Hayes in House of Cards, Byron Giles in Outcast

Character played: Nick Sobotka

Notable roles since: Ray Merrimen in Den of Thieves, George "Pornstache" Mendez in Orange Is the New Black, Mad Sweeney in American Gods

Character played: Bunk Moreland

Notable roles since: Antoine Batiste in Treme, Ronald Keith in Ray Donovan, Harris Green in The Michael J. Fox Show

Character played: D'Angelo Barksdale

Notable roles since: Ray Beaumont in The Beast, Bob Stookey in The Walking Dead, Chris Alston in The Deuce

Character played: Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos

Notable roles since: Tommy in Empire State, Gayle in Get Hard, Thurman in Everybody Hates Chris

Character played: Clay Davis

Notable roles since: Ronald Wilkes in Cedar Rapids, Black in Why Stop Now, General George Maddox in Veep

Character played: Lester Freamon

Notable roles since: Chief Abercrombie in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Alonzo Quinn in Person of Interest, Albert Lambreaux in Treme

Character played: Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins

Notable roles since: Thirsty Rawlings in Empire, Robert "Bobo" Boston in Hand of God, 1st Sgt. "Coffee" Coleman in Red Tails

Character played: Thomas "Herc" Hauk

Notable roles since: Ray Zancanelli in Breakout Kings, Ralph Capone in Boardwalk Empire, Ira Hornstock in Rosewood

Character played: Avon Barksdale

Notable roles since: Tony "Little Duke" Evers in Creed, Kay in Dredd, Brooke Payne in The New Edition Story

Character played: Frank Sobotka

Notable roles since: Andy Bellefleur in True Blood, Jimmy Flaherty in Survivor's Remorse, Bobby Dwyer in The Deuce

Character played: Cedric Daniels

Notable roles since: Charon in John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2, Phillip Broyles in Fringe, Deputy Chief Irvin Irving in Bosch

Character played: Elena McNulty

Notable roles since: Sheila Keefe in Rescue Me, Dr. Danielle "Dani" Santino in Necessary Roughness, Captain Nancy Santiani in The Mysteries of Laura

Character played: Jimmy McNulty

Notable roles since: Noah Solloway in The Affair, Hector Madden in The Hour, Billy "Jigsaw" Russotti in Punisher: War Zone

Character played: Calvin "Cheese" Wagstaff

Notable roles since: Percy in The Wackness, Cheddar in Keanu, various album releases (Blackout! 2, The Meth Lab, The Saga Continues)

Method Man was the undeniable star of the Wu-Tang Clan, so it was no surprise that he eventually pivoted to the world of acting. As Cheese Wagstaff on The Wire, Meth embodied the class above the cornerboys with a beautiful sense of menace and streetwise swagger. He took what he learned from that experience and netted a number of decent roles, from essentially parodying his Wire character in Keanu to donning an insane wig on HBO’s The Deuce. He even took it to the next level, playing the father of a budding hip-hop producer (played by his Wire co-star Mack Wilds) in VH1’s short-lived The Breaks. The only thing he’s missing is one truly-awesome starring role on his continuously-expanding resume. ―​khal

Character played: Dennis "Cutty" Wise

Notable roles since: Tyreese Williams in The Walking Dead, Frederick "Fred" Lucius Johnson in The Expanse, Chili in The Green Hornet

Sometimes the best case scenario for life after being a solid part of a sprawling TV ensemble... is to land yourself a primo place in another. Chad Coleman brought the same taciturn intensity, soothing paternalism, and barely concealed rage he imbued Cutty with over to The Walking Dead as fan favorite Tyreese. That is to say, he was one of the characters you actually felt for when he inevitably died. And while Walking Dead could never even get The Wire's shinebox, as a populist cable favorite it's arguable more people know Coleman for literally going hammer on zombies than as the guy who managed to go straight post-jail and lead Baltimore's youth from going astray.

And of course, once you do two ensembles, you're basically good with TV casting directors. Coleman's probably done a stint on your favorite series since, be it Always Sunny or the cult Syfy show The Expanse. My personal favorite of his post-Wire material? Helping The CW's Arrow return to its roots by offering a larger-than-life villain who was threatening without being a magical, end-of-the-world MacGuffin. Coleman plays great decent guys, but he's alive when he goes bad. —Frazier Tharpe

Character played: Beatrice "Beadie" Russell

Notable roles since: Sylvia Thomson in Birdman, Holly Flax in The Office, Mary McKenna Donovan in Bridge of Spies

As Beadie, Amy Ryan really owned a new role in the latter part of an established series, and once her run was done, she took the ball and ran with it. She not only played opposite Steve Carrell as Holly Flax in The Office, but also scored big in a recurring role on Comedy Central’s Broad City. She’s even netted some roles in feature films, including Goosebumps, The Rock and Kevin Hart’s Central Intelligence, and 2014’s Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), which did win an Oscar for Best Picture. ―​khal

Character played: Ellis Carver

Notable roles since: Gabriel Stokes in The Walking Dead, Dr. Alan Deaton in Teen Wolf, Frederic Johnson in Still Alice

You’ve seen Seth Gilliam in bit roles everywhere since Sgt. Ellis Carver made lieutenant and The Wire ended, including stints on the TV shows Law & Order, Homeland, and Person of Interest. But two of his biggest looks hold a lot of weight. He starred as Dr. Alan Deaton on MTV’s long-running Teen Wolf series, and he’s managed to survive as Father Gabriel Stokes since the fifth season of AMC’s The Walking Dead. Fans reacted so strongly to Father Gabriel and his frustrating behavior that Seth even received death threats. The show might be past its prime, but Gilliam’s character continues to evolve and grow. —Dria Roland

Character played: Michael Lee

Notable roles since: Dixon Wilson in 90210, 2nd Lt. Ray "Ray Gun" in Red Tails, DeeVee in The Breaks, various music releases as Mack Wilds (New York: A Love Story, AfterHours)

Mack Wilds (who sometimes goes by "Tristan"—his actual first name—for acting roles) is following the example set by his Wire castmate, fellow Staten Islander, and his former TV dad Method Man by doing big things in both the acting and music worlds. 

After The Wire ended, Mack spent years as this generation's Brandon Walsh (but much less of an asshole—seriously, have you watched any old episodes lately?) on the reboot of 90210. Wilds also had a leading role in the hip-hop drama The Breaks alongside fellow Wire alums Wood Harris, Method Man, and series director/co-creator Seith Mann (the latter of whom helmed two of the best episodes of The Wire's entire run, "The Dickensian Aspect" and "Home Rooms.") Most recently, Mack has starred on Shots Fired and appeared occasionally on Oxygen's reality series, Sisterhood of Hip-Hop. Bigger than any of that, though, at least in terms of views, was his role in Adele's "Hello" video.

On the music side, Mack has made serious inroads as a singer and rapper. Working alongside super-producer Salaam Remi, Mack has released two albums, the first of which was nominated for a Grammy in 2014. With all of these accomplishments, it's hard to believe Mack is only 28. When we revamp this list in a few years, I'm sure he'll be at the very top. —Shawn Setaro

Character played: Tommy Carcetti

Notable roles since: Petyr Baelish in Game of Thrones, Bill Wilson in The Dark Knight Rises, "John Boy" Power in Love/Hate, Janson in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and Maze Runner: The Death Cure

During the opening scene of The Dark Knight Rises, scores of The Wire fans pointed to the screen and simultaneously yelled, "Carcetti!"—you know, the white man with perfectly coiffed hair and a boyish grin who bested the black mayoral incumbent that previously had the city of Baltimore on lock. Aidan Gillen's feature in a blockbuster film franchise felt like the highest he could go, but a little show called Game of Thrones was already percolating. Three years after wrapping up The Wire, Gillen came strolling back through HBO's doors to take over the role of Lord Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish AKA the slimiest figure on the program (and that's saying something). In portraying a character who has so many levels to his filth, Gillen has been able to truly bring out the worst of Baelish, in the best way possible. From jump, much of the show has revolved around his actions; without giving away too much, he more or less became the ruthless puppetmaster of Westeros. Gillen's in the top 5 because he simply acted his ass off, on one of the best shows on television. Again. That's automatic clout, bruh. —Kiana Fitzgerald​

Character played: Scott Templeton

Notable roles since: Principal Caden in The Lovely Bones, Dr. Robert "Bob" Banks in Little Fockers, director for Spotlight, story writer for Up

“What,” you’re probably thinking, “how the FLIDUCK did punk ass Scott Templeton from the final season rank so high on this list?” Well, fam, let me break it on down for you. While McCarthy might not have bulked up his resume with a litany of performances post-Wire, he did turn up in everything from The Lovely Bones to to playing Dr. Bob in Little Fockers. Your mans earned a nice chunk of change (and a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nom) for Pixar’s 2009 smash Up, and won two Oscars for his 2015 film Spotlight, which won both Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. He even had a hand in Netflix’s critically-acclaimed series 13 Reasons Why. Basically, you might not be seeing McCarthy’s face, but you’re definitely enjoying his work. ―​khal

Character played: Omar Little

Notable roles since: Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire, Jack Gee in Bessie, Robert in 12 Years a Slave, Freddy Knight in The Night Of

“Omar coming!” is probably the most synonymous quote when it comes to The Wire. Michael K. Williams played everyone’s favorite character on HBO’s critically-acclaimed, yet (at the time) slept-on show. After years of trying to break into the industry with little roles here and there, his turn as Baltimore’s most feared stick up kid propelled Williams' career to new heights. After The Wire’s final season, Williams would appear in numerous television shows and films; most notably, his role on Boardwalk Empire as Chalky White, key roles in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, and the Night Of, respectively. On top of that he appeared in the Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave. Before people feared word of Omar coming, but now they're happy Michael K. Williams has arrived.  —Angel Diaz

Character played: Wallace

Notable roles since: Oscar Grant III in Fruitvale Station, Jonathan "Johnny" Storm in Fantastic Four, Steve Montgomery in Chronicle, Adonis Creed in Creed, Erik "Killmonger" Stevens in Black Panther

Without a doubt, MBJ is having the moment of all moments with the release of Black Panther and his starring role as super-villain Eric Killmonger—his first time playing an antagonist on the big screen. Despite taking his initial swing at playing a destructive maniac, Jordan's garnered acclaim from both critics and fans, with some saying he's the best villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Playing such a central role, his efforts have contributed to the film's tremendous milestones.

While Black Panther is his biggest, most successful role to date, Michael B. Jordan has a handful of noteworthy roles and projects, including breathing new life into the celebrated Rocky franchise as hungry boxer Adonis in Creed, as well as a gripping portrayal of the late Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station. He also had a supporting role in the movie Red Tails, based on the first African-American pilots. And he put himself in the right position to pull a young fan base when he played the charming Mikey alongside Zac Efron and Miles Teller in That Awkward Moment. 

Before making his strides into film Jordan made major noise on television, starring as Vince Howard, a teenage quarterback on Friday Night Lights and an alcoholic trying to regain control of his life on Parenthood—two of NBC's most beloved shows at the time. 

He's also made some clever cultural moves that give him cool points, like his collab with Kobe on an Apple TV spot, his work with NBA 2K, and his appearance in the music video for Jay Z's "Family Feud." 

Many of you may be thinking, "Okay, so with all of this, why isn't dude sitting at the top of the list?" Well, Idris Elba was the initial star to break out from The Wire, and as a result had a longer time to rack up a diverse resume as a leading man, supporting actor, and even pushed into the world of music. Basically, he's done more, but more on that later...   

What Michael B. lacks in experience, he makes up for in potential, with by far the longest, most-appealing career runway of any actor to grace the set of The Wire. He's primed to not only be a working actor with range, but a bonafide movie star. —Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins

Character played: Russell "Stringer" Bell

Notable roles since: Derek Charles in Obsessed,  Gordon Thomas "G" Cozier in Takers, Janek in Prometheus​, General Stacker Pentecost​ in Pacific Rim​, Nelson Mandela​ in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom​, Commandant​ in Beasts of No Nation​, Charlie Jaffey​ in Molly's Game​, John Luther​ in Luther, Heimdall​ in Thor, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok, and Avengers: Age of Ultron​

Before The Wire, Idris was a bouncer at various New York nightclubs. After The Wire, he made it to the top of the A-list, where he has been perched ever since. For years, (not just the last one or two—sorry, Michael B.), Idris has been a global superstar, covering all the glossy publications while his cumulative films have grossed $3 billion at the box office. His bag is so secure that now he does things just to stunt, from his DJ residency in Ibiza to directing his first film, which, of course, premiered this year at Sundance.

In fairness, the ascent didn’t happen right after Stringer Bell was killed off during The Wire's third season. But a string of mainstream, high-profile roles turned the tide. After he flexed his comedic chops on NBC’s hit show The Office, Idris bodied the role of DCI John Luther, the brilliant and tortured detective on the BBC One show Luther who investigates some of the grisliest crimes you’ve ever seen. Luther has 11 Primetime Emmy Award nominations; four of which are for Elba’s performance. Speaking of hardware, he has four nominations and two wins (Luther, Beasts of No Nation) from the Screen Actors Guild, five Golden Globe noms, and one win (Luther). The Queen of England also made him an Officer of the British Empire in 2016 for his contributions to Luther.

Idris’ range is ridiculous: He has been in the Marvel family, appearing in the Thor franchise and Avengers: Age of Ultron. He was the villain in the last Star Trek installment. He voiced Shere Khan in the Jungle Book, portrayed a ruthless warlord in Netflix’s Beasts of No Nation, and played Nelson Mandela himself. And as far as influence—People magazine ranks him among the Sexiest Men Alive, Time named him one of the Most Influential People in the World, and an entire generation of British talent looking to cross over has followed in his footsteps (literally, in the case of John Boyega, who plays the son of Idris' character in Pacific Rim Uprising). Lastly, who else has the whole world begging for him to be the next James Bond? The work and rep speaks for itself. ―Dria Roland