 Williams has stated that he pursued the role because he felt it would make him stand out from other African Americans from Brooklyn with acting talent because of its contradictory nature.Williams expressed that his relationship with and love of off-broadway New York theatres, such as the "National Black Theater" in Harlem gave him the skill set needed for his portrayal of Omar; in particular using the Meisner technique to create Omar from the ground up, immersing himself by researching details of inner city Baltimore.The role presented a particular challenge as it was the first major recurring television character he had played.