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'Westworld,' 'The Wire' actors join Emilio Estevez movie filming in Cincinnati

Movie began production in Queen City this week
Posted at 12:33 PM, Jan 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-26 13:51:28-05

CINCINNATI — Get ready: Omar's coming.

Actor Michael Kenneth Williams, who played iconic drug dealer Omar Little in HBO series “The Wire,” is part of the cast of "The Public," a new movie that started filming Downtown this week, according to social media posts by cast member Che "Rhymefest" Smith and costume designer Christopher Lawrence.

Jeffery Wright, who recently starred in the HBO series “Westworld,” and Christian Slater also will star in the movie, according to the posts. Emilio Estevez, who wrote the film, also will direct.  

The Internet Movie Database's cast listing for "The Public"updated Thursday afternoon with the three actors names attached to the project.

In early December, Film Cincinnati executive director Kristen Schlotman announced Estevez would begin filming "The Public" starting in mid-January. At the time she said Estevez also would act in the movie, along with Smith, Alec Baldwin, Taylor Schilling and Jena Malone. Variety later reported that Gabrielle Union also will appear in the film.

Jeffrey Wright

"The Public" centers around a standoff with police and library officials at the Downtown branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County after patrons, many homeless and mentally ill, turn the library into an impromptu shelter for one night during a brutal cold snap.

RELATED: New Emilio Estevez movie starring Alec Baldwin, Jena Malone starts filming in January

During the first day of filming on Wednesday, Wright posted a picture from downtown Cincinnati on Instagram.

 

#CogitoErgoApe

A photo posted by Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) on

Schlotman did not return a phone call for comment.