Where Did They Come From: The Cast of 'The Wire'

                              

Dominic West

Though he seems all-American on the show, Dominic West, who played Officer Jimmy McNulty, was actually born and raised in England. He's pretty good at affecting an American accent, something that's helped him get plenty of work after 'The Wire.' West mostly had small roles before this one, though he did appear as a guard in 'Star Wars Episode I.'

Idris Elba

Given that he's recently done some high-profile work in his native British accent, it may not be that much of a surprise that Idris Elba, the actor who portrayed the sweater-wearing, business-class-attending gangster Stringer Bell, is a native of London, England. If you've only ever seen him in 'The Wire,' though, you're probably fooled by his excellent American accent, which he developed through acting skill rather than geographic orientation. Elba had doen a lot of TV work in England before getting his part in 'The Wire.'

Andre Royo

As the strung-out, homeless police informant Bubbles, Andre Royo sounded pretty authentic. Maybe he learned a thing or two growing up in the Bronx, where he was born and raised. Royo actually appeared in several cop dramas before finding a major role on 'The Wire.'

Sonja Sohn

Sonja Sohn was born and raised in Newport News, Virginia, the daughter of a Korean mother and an American father. Her upbringing was tough due in part to teasing over her mixed-race heritage and problems at home, but she managed to focus on her career, first working as a slam poet in the 90s before transitioning to acting, eventually playing detective Kima Griggs on 'The Wire.'

Michael K. Williams

Arguably one of the best actors on the show, Michael K. Williams was perfect for the part of Omar Little, the principled but ruthless Wild-West-type character who was one of the most feared men in the fictionalized Baltimore ghetto. Williams was born in Brooklyn, and the iconic scar that runs down Omar's face is actually a real-life scar from an injury he sustained during a street fight in New York.

Robert Wisdom

Born in Washington, D.C., Wisdom, who played good-hearted police officer Major Bunny Colvin on the show, graduated from Columbia University before getting into acting. Wisdom was in some big movies and TV shows before 'The Wire,' including 'Face/Off.'

Aidan Gillen

Another import from across the pond, Gillen is an Irishman who did a great job with a light Baltimore accent as Mayor Tommy Carcetti. He started acting when he was a teenager, getting involved in a Shakespeare production put on by an Irish youth theatre program.

Wood Harris

Born in Chicago, Wood Harris played the powerful gang leader Avon Barksdale. Harris is perhaps one of the best educated members of the cast, holding both a bachelor's and master's degree in acting. He started working professionally before he even graduated from grad school, appearing in 'Above the Rim' with Tupac Shakur.

Lance Reddick

Now a recognizable actor thanks to his roles in TV shows like 'The Wire,' Lance Reddick actually started his performing career as a musician, attending the prestigious Eastman School of Music before transferring to the Yale Drama School. Reddick, one of the few Baltimore natives on the cast, played Cedric Daniels, an honest cop in a dishonest department who quit his job to become a lawyer.

Wendell Pierce

Growing up in New Orleans, Pierce attended a youth drama school before gaining acceptance to Juilliard, a prestigious fine arts school in New York. He worked pretty steadily in film and TV before landing his memorable role as the stylish detective Bunk Moreland on 'The Wire.'