Not sure if you're aware but McNulty and Stringer are British and a fair amount of the actors on the show are real life gang bangers and criminals. I didn't know this until after I had watched the series and it definitely made me appreciate the performances that much more.

Snoop...

quote:
Felicia Pearson
In the wee hours of Thursday, March 10, 2011, Felicia "Snoop" Pearson was one of over 60 people swept up in a Baltimore drug raid straight out of The Wire. Baltimore police, the DEA and other agencies joined forced to carry out the massive sting in an attempt to take down a large heroin and marijuana operation. The former Wire actress was taken into custody.

Pearson, 30, has had a troubled past; at 14 she was convicted of 2nd degree murder and spent six years in prison, where she earned her GED. In August 2008, she was arrested for drug possession. Police arrived at Pearson's house on a warrant to pick her up for refusing to cooperate as a witness in the murder trial of Steven Lashley, who authorities say Pearson witnessed stabbing another man. Upon entering her house, officers discovered what they suspected was marijuana. Pearson, who played a cold-blooded killer by the same name on The Wire, was charged with one count of drug possession.

quote:
Melvin Williams
Melvin Williams, who played the deacon on The Wire was once a powerful Baltimore drug kingpin. Known as "Little Melvin" in certain circles, Williams was sent to federal prison in the 1980's for orchestrating a large-scale drug trade enterprise in Baltimore. Towards the end of his sentence, Williams found a new lease on life through religion. After his release, Williams was sent back to prison in 2000 for a gun conviction, but was released in 2003. He is currently on parole and cannot go further than 40 miles from Baltimore without special permission.

This post was edited on 10/6/12 at 8:25 am