‘Superman' actor Wendell Pierce likens his seminal show ‘The Wire' to a ‘canary in the mine' for these times

CNN

3 days ago

Despite calls from far and wide for 'The Wire' to come back, actor Wendell Pierce is firm in his stance that the acclaimed show should stay untouched and in the past.
''The Wire' is something that is classic,' Pierce said at Monday's premiere for 'Superman' in Hollywood, adding that 'what makes it classic (is) it speaks to, it spoke to the audience then, it speaks to us now, it will speak to audiences long after it's over.'
Pierce, who played detective William 'Bunk' Moreland in 'The Wire,' said he believes the drama resonated because of 'the cautionary tale that it was, the fact that it lets people know there's an ugly side of human nature.'
'We're seeing that demonstrated today. I mean as we stand here on wonderful beautiful Hollywood Boulevard, they have American secret police who raided MacArthur Park today with guns drawn on citizens for no reason,' he said. 'That's a dangerous thing.'
Earlier on Monday, federal immigration agents in tactical gear accompanied by members of the California National Guard were deployed to the park near downtown Los Angeles. The operation sparked outrage among local residents and Mayor Karen Bass called it 'outrageous and un-American' and 'an attempt to spread fear.'
'That's why 'The Wire' is so poignant. It was a canary in the mine then and it's a canary in the mine now,' Pierce said. 'What kind of society do we want to be a part of?'
Pierce starred on the acclaimed HBO series from 2002 to 2008 alongside Dominic West, the late Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn and the late Michael K. Williams. 'The Wire' remains widely regarded as one of the most exemplary crime series on television.
In 'Superman,' Pierce will take on the role of Perry White, editor in chief of The Daily Planet in Metropolis. The role was previously portrayed by Laurence Fishburne in 2016's 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.'
'Superman' premieres in theaters this Friday. 'The Wire' and 'Superman' both come from production companies owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, which also owns CNN.