Facts About HBO's Hit Series That Are Worth Drinking To
By Emily Bell
Albert "Chalky" White is an undeniably powerful Black community leader on "Boardwalk Empire." Like Nucky Thompson, White is duplicitous and cunning, staying one step ahead of his enemies in most instances. He is a smooth-talking racketeer who uses his charm and influence for financial gain. However, White genuinely cares about his community's well-being. "The Wire" star Michael Kenneth Williams gives a performance that makes this antihero genuinely unforgettable, but he didn't land the role conventionally.
Before his death, Williams explained how he came to play Chalky White in a Q&A with Cinema Daily US. According to Williams, Martin Scorsese's assistant called about the role while he was working on another project in Cape Town, South Africa. Williams sent in a taped audition with little hope that Scorsese would cast him remotely, but the recording was enough to land him the part after all.
When asked how he brought Chalky White to life, Williams said that he took inspiration from older men in his family to build a connection between himself and the character. For example, as Williams described: "He wore his clothes like my father did. When he was with his kids, he reminded me of Uncle Jay, when I would sit on my uncle's lap and he was always scratching his beard."
