Omar Epps
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Omar Hashim Epps (born July 20, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, and producer. Epps's film roles include ''
Juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...
'', ''
Higher Learning Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...
'', ''
The Wood ''The Wood'' is a 1999 American coming-of-age comedy drama film directed by Rick Famuyiwa in his feature directional debut and starring Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones and Taye Diggs. It was written by Famuyiwa and Todd Boyd. Plot Roland is get ...
'', '' In Too Deep'', and '' Love & Basketball''. His television work includes the role of Dr. Dennis Gant on the
medical drama A medical drama is a Television film, television movie or film in which events center upon a hospital, clinic, doctor's office, a paramedic, or any other medical topic or environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic progra ...
series '' ER'', J. Martin Bellamy in ''
Resurrection Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions involving the same person or deity returning to another body. The disappearance of a body is anothe ...
'', Dr. Eric Foreman on the Fox medical drama series ''
House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
'' from 2004 to 2012, Isaac Johnson in the TV series '' Shooter'' from 2016 to 2018, and Detective Malcolm Howard on the
Starz Starz (stylized in all caps as STARZ; pronounced "stars") is an American pay television network owned by Starz Entertainment, and is the flagship property of Starz Inc. Launched in 1994 as a multiplex service of what is now Starz Encore, ...
crime drama '' Power Book III: Raising Kanan''. He has been awarded nine
NAACP Image Awards The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
, two
Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards were an annual awards show that aired on the Fox television network between 1999 and 2019. The awards, based on a popularity vote that could be overridden by the producerswho reserved the right to choose the winnerscovered ...
, one
MTV Movie Award The MTV Movie & TV Awards is a film and television awards show previously presented annually on MTV. It began as the MTV Movie Awards in 1992, when its first edition was held, and adopted its current name in 2017, beginning with its 26th editi ...
, one
Black Reel Award The Black Reel Awards, or BRAs, is an annual American awards ceremony hosted by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African Americans in film (FAAAF) to recognize excellence of African Americans, as well as the cinematic achievements of the Afr ...
, and one
Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
.


Early life

Omar Epps was born in
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
. His parents divorced during childhood, and he was raised by his mother, Bonnie Maria Epps, an elementary school principal. He lived in several Brooklyn neighborhoods while growing up ( Bedford–Stuyvesant,
East New York East New York is a residential neighborhood in the eastern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are roughly the Cemetery Belt and the Queens borough line to the north; ...
, and
East Flatbush East Flatbush is a residential neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. East Flatbush is bounded by Crown Heights and Empire Boulevard to the north; Brownsville and East 98th Street to the east; Flatlands, Canarsie and the Lon ...
). He began writing poetry, short stories, and songs at the age of ten. He attended the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, New York City's highly selective public high school for students with artistic talent. Before he started acting, he belonged to a rap group called Wolfpack, which he formed with his cousin in 1991.


Career

In 1992, Epps made his feature film debut playing a DJ alongside rapper
2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor, regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all tim ...
as the star of
cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...
Ernest Dickerson Ernest Roscoe Dickerson (born June 25, 1951) is an American director, cinematographer, and screenwriter of film, television, and music videos. As a cinematographer, Dickerson is known for his frequent collaborations with Spike Lee ever since they ...
's directorial film debut ''
Juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...
''. The following year, Epps played one of several roles as an athlete, the first as a running back in the
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
drama '' The Program'' alongside
James Caan James Edmund Caan ( ; March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in ''The Godfather'' (1972), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award an ...
. In 1994, he returned to sports, as co-star of ''
Major League II ''Major League II'' is a 1994 American sports film, sports comedy film and sequel to the 1989 film ''Major League (film), Major League'' and it is the second installment in the ''Major League'' film series. The film stars most of the same cast ...
'', taking over the role of center fielder Willie Mays Hayes from its originator,
Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor and martial artist. In a film career spanning more than thirty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic feature films, and comedies, th ...
. His next athletic endeavor was playing a track and field star in
John Singleton John Daniel Singleton (January 6, 1968 April 28, 2019) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer. He made his feature film debut writing and directing '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for ...
's ''
Higher Learning Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...
'', a look at the politics and racial tensions of college life. Epps led the cast in the 1996 BBC/HBO film '' Deadly Voyage'', as a Ghanaian attempting to hide with other stowaways on a major commercial vessel leaving Africa. He won the best actor award at the
Monte Carlo Television Festival The Monte-Carlo Television Festival is held every year in June in the Principality of Monaco at the Grimaldi Forum, under the Honorary Presidency of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. The opening ceremony inaugurates each new edition, introd ...
for portraying Kingsley Ofusu in this true story about the plight of undocumented African stowaways hoping to reach America. In his network television debut, Epps guest starred as Dr. Dennis Gant, a surgical intern struggling with depression, on the hit medical drama '' ER'' for several episodes in its third season. After his television work on ''ER'', Epps returned to film in 1997 with a role as a giddy moviegoer, on a date with a woman played by
Jada Pinkett Smith Jada Koren Pinkett Smith (née Pinkett; born September 18, 1971) is an American actress, businesswoman, and talk show host. She is co-host of the Facebook Watch talk show ''Red Table Talk'', for which she has won a Daytime Emmy Awards, Daytim ...
, who ends up an early victim of a
psychopathic Psychopathy, or psychopathic personality, is a personality construct characterized by impaired empathy and remorse, along with bold, disinhibited, and egocentric traits. These traits are often masked by superficial charm and immunity to s ...
slasher in the blockbuster sequel ''
Scream 2 ''Scream 2'' is a 1997 American slasher film directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jamie Kennedy, Laurie Metcalf, Jerry O'Connell, Jada P ...
''. Also in 1997, Epps starred in the fact-based HBO movie '' First Time Felon'' as a small-time criminal who goes through Chicago's boot camp reform system and undertakes a heroic flood rescue, only to be faced with the adjustment of re-entering society with the mark of ex-con. In 1999, Epps was cast as Linc in ''
The Mod Squad ''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Clarence Williams III as Lincoln "Linc" Hayes, Pegg ...
''. While ''The Mod Squad'' proved a critical and box-office bust, Epps's later 1999 effort ''
The Wood ''The Wood'' is a 1999 American coming-of-age comedy drama film directed by Rick Famuyiwa in his feature directional debut and starring Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones and Taye Diggs. It was written by Famuyiwa and Todd Boyd. Plot Roland is get ...
'' offered him a serious and multi-dimensional role as Mike Tarver, narrator and lead of this critically-acclaimed coming-of-age ensemble comedy. Following a group of middle-class African Americans from youth to adulthood, the debut effort from
director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...
-
screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...
Rick Famuyiwa Rick Famuyiwa (born June 18, 1973) is a Nigerian-American filmmaker and television director. He is best known for the films ''The Wood'' (1999), ''Brown Sugar'' (2002), and '' Dope'' (2015), as well as for his work on the television series ''The ...
co-starred
Richard T. Jones Richard Timothy Jones (born January 16, 1972) is an American actor. He has worked extensively in both film and television productions since the early 1990s. His television roles include ''Ally McBeal'' (1997), ''Judging Amy'' (1998–2005), ''CSI ...
and
Taye Diggs Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs (né Berry; born January 2, 1971) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the Broadway musicals '' Rent'' and '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', the TV series '' Private Practice'' (2007–2013), '' Murder in ...
. Also in 1999, Epps was featured alongside
Stanley Tucci Stanley Tucci Jr. ( ; born November 11, 1960) is an American actor. Known as a character actor, he has played a wide variety of roles ranging from menacing to sophisticated, earning numerous accolades, including six Emmy Awards and two Golden ...
and
LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip ho ...
, playing an undercover detective who finds himself caught up in the illegal goings-on he is investigating in '' In Too Deep''. In 2000, Epps starred in '' Love & Basketball'', featuring
Alfre Woodard Alfre Woodard ( ; born November 8, 1952) is an American actress. Known for portraying strong-willed and dignified roles on stage and screen, she has received various accolades, including four Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and three Scree ...
and
Sanaa Lathan Sanaa McCoy Lathan (; born September 19, 1971) is an American actress. She is the daughter of actress Eleanor McCoy and film director Stan Lathan. Her career began after she appeared in the shows ''In the House'', '' Family Matters'', ''NYPD Bl ...
. He portrayed Quincy, the
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
hopeful who has a stormy relationship with an equally adept female basketball star Monica, played by Lathan. Epps followed with supporting roles in a wide range of films, including '' Dracula 2000'', '' Big Trouble'', and the telepic ''Conviction''. He had a leading role as a gangster in ''
Brother A brother (: brothers or brethren) is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a family, familial relationship, it is sometimes used ende ...
'', a movie by the celebrated Japanese actor/director
Takeshi Kitano , also known as in Japan, is a Japanese comedian, actor, and filmmaker. While he is known primarily as a comedian and TV host in his native Japan, he is better known abroad for his work as a filmmaker and actor as well as TV host. During hi ...
. In 2004, Epps played drug-dealer-turned-prizefighter Luther Shaw who falls under the tutelage of boxing promoter Jackie Kallen (
Meg Ryan Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra (born November 19, 1961), known by her stage name Meg Ryan, is an American actress. Known for her leading roles as quirky, charismatic women since the late 1980s, Ryan is particularly recognized for her work in ...
) in the film biopic ''
Against the Ropes Against may refer to: * ''Against'' (album), 1998 album by Brazilian metal band Sepultura ** "Against" (song) the title track song from the Sepultura album *Against (American band) Against (styled as AgainST) were an American crossover thras ...
''. That same year, Epps was a character in the video game ''
Def Jam Fight for NY ''Def Jam: Fight for NY'' is a 3D fighting video game developed by AKI Corporation and EA Canada and published by EA Games. It was released for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox on September 21, 2004. The game is the second main insta ...
''. Epps also returned to a top-rated medical television drama in 2004, with his role as the brilliant neurologist, Dr. Eric Foreman, who stands his ground medically against the routine barbs of the irascible Dr. House (
Hugh Laurie James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, singer, musician and writer. He first gained professional recognition as a member of the English comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. Fry and Laurie act ...
) on the award-winning Fox television series ''
House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
''. The role in the long-running series earned him an
NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
in 2007, 2008 and 2013 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. In 2014, Epps took on the role of agent J. Martin Bellamy in the ABC television series, ''
Resurrection Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions involving the same person or deity returning to another body. The disappearance of a body is anothe ...
''. The series focuses on a number of individuals who return from the dead, and change the lives of their families and friends in Arcadia, Missouri. In July 2020, Epps starred in the
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
psychological thriller ''
Fatal Affair ''Fatal Affair'' is a 2020 American psychological thriller film directed by Peter Sullivan, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rasheeda Garner. It stars Nia Long, Omar Epps, Stephen Bishop, and KJ Smith. It was released on July 16, 2020, by Ne ...
''. Since 2021, Epps has appeared as Detective Malcolm Howard in the
Starz Starz (stylized in all caps as STARZ; pronounced "stars") is an American pay television network owned by Starz Entertainment, and is the flagship property of Starz Inc. Launched in 1994 as a multiplex service of what is now Starz Encore, ...
crime drama '' Power Book III: Raising Kanan''. In 2022, it was announced that Epps would star in the
Lee Daniels Lee Daniels (born December 24, 1959) is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He made his directorial film debut with ''Shadowboxer'' (2005), followed by ''Precious (film), Precious'' (2009) which earned him Academy Award nomin ...
-directed supernatural horror ''
The Deliverance ''The Deliverance: A Romance of the Virginia Tobacco Fields'' is a 1904 novel by American author Ellen Glasgow. It was the second-best selling book in the United States in 1904. Hackett, Alice PayneSeventy years of best sellers, 1895-1965 p. ...
'' alongside
Mo'Nique Monique Angela Hicks (née Imes; born December 11, 1967), known mononymously as Mo'Nique, is an American comedian and actress. She debuted as a member of The Queens of Comedy and earned recognition as a Stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian. In 2 ...
,
Andra Day Cassandra Monique Batie (born December 30, 1984), known professionally as Andra Day, is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Children's and Family Emmy ...
, Miss Lawrence, and
Tasha Smith Tasha Smith (born February 28, 1971) is an American actress and director. She began her career in a starring role on the NBC comedy series '' Boston Common'' (1996–97), and later appeared in numerous movies and television series. Smith has ...
. The film was released in select theaters and on Netflix in August 2024.


Personal life

From 1999 to 2001, Epps dated actress Sanaa Lathan, whom he met while filming ''The Wood''. The pair did not disclose their relationship to ''Love & Basketball'' director
Gina Prince-Bythewood Gina Maria Prince-Bythewood (born June 10, 1969) is an American film director and screenwriter. She began her career as a writer for multiple television shows in the 1990s, including the anthology series ''CBS Schoolbreak Special'', for which she ...
until they were on the set of the film, fearing that "she could have a beef about it". Epps married singer Keisha Spivey, from the R&B group
Total Total may refer to: Mathematics * Total, the summation of a set of numbers * Total order, a partial order without incomparable pairs * Total relation, which may also mean ** connected relation (a binary relation in which any two elements are comp ...
, in 2005. They have two children, daughter K'mari Mae and son Amir. He also has a daughter, Aiyanna, from a previous relationship. Epps and actor/comedian
Marlon Wayans Marlon Lamont Wayans (born July 23, 1972) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known for his work with his brother Shawn Wayans on The WB sitcom ''The Wayans Bros.'' (1995–1999) and the comedy films ''Don't Be a M ...
are longtime friends. They met as high school classmates at LaGuardia High, both graduating in 1990. The 1997−1999 theme song used for the sitcom '' The Wayans Brothers'' was co-produced by Epps, with Marlon and
Shawn Wayans Shawn Mathis Wayans (born January 19, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He made his debut on the comedy television series ''In Living Color'' (1990–1993). He went on to work with his brother Marlon Wayans on The WB si ...
. In a 2018 interview, Epps denied the long-standing rumor that he is related to fellow actor
Mike Epps Michael Elliot Epps (born November 18, 1970) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He played Day-Day Jones in '' Next Friday'' and its sequel, '' Friday After Next'', and also appeared in ''The Hangover'' and '' The Hangover Part III'' as ...
, saying, "Me and Mike Epps ain't related, though, we spoke like, 'Where you from? Where you from?'" Epps authored an autobiography titled ''From Fatherless to Fatherhood'' that was released by Lulu Publishing in June 2018. Epps serves on the Cultural Council of
RepresentUs RepresentUs is a Nonpartisanism in the United States, non-partisan not-for-profit organization focused on ending political corruption in the United States. Funded by donations and grants, it is run mostly by volunteers aligned in a grassroots ...
, a nonprofit organization that focuses on passing anti-corruption laws in the United States. In June 2020, he narrated an educational video for the organization about America's criminal justice system.


Filmography


Film


Television


Video games


Discography

* ''Omar Epps Presents... The Get Back'' (2004)


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Epps, Omar 1973 births Living people Male actors from Brooklyn American male child actors African-American male rappers 21st-century American male rappers American male film actors American male television actors Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni Rappers from Brooklyn 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors 20th-century African-American male actors 21st-century African-American male actors 20th-century American rappers 21st-century American rappers 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians 20th-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American musicians