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IMDbPro

Omari Hardwick

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000728
Omari Hardwick
Jennifer Lopez, Lucy Paez, and director Niki Caro share the complexities of working with wolves while Joseph Fiennes and Omari Hardwick celebrate Jennifer's on-set demeanor and work ethic.
Play clip3:12
Jennifer Lopez on the 'Unpredictability' of Working With Wolves in 'The Mother'
99+ Videos
99+ Photos
Omari Latif Hardwick was born in Savannah, Georgia, to Joyce (Johnson) and Clifford Hardwick III, and grew up in Decatur, GA. His parents gave him a name to set a precedent, "Omari" meaning "most high," and "Latif" meaning "gentle." He shares, "I in no way believe that I am the highest or most high, but I feel like my name gives me something to strive for." Growing up, sports were Hardwick's world, but early on he knew he had a passion for the arts. By the age of fourteen, Hardwick was writing poetry on a regular basis, a passion he would carry with him into adulthood. In high school, he excelled at basketball, baseball, and football, and went on to play football at the University of Georgia. Although a star on the field, Hardwick never gave up his passion for acting, and minored in theatre in college. He shares, "I hugely attribute sports to my success in entertainment business. Being on the field taught me dedication and discipline - I already came from a strict household when I was growing up, sports just took that to another level. Whenever I approach a set, I always feel as though the cast, crew, director, are all part of a team. I have always married athletics and art, two huge parts of my life."

After graduation, Hardwick relocated to San Diego for a spot on the San Diego Chargers (NFL) however a knee injury cut his football career short. He decided to revisit his original passion for acting, and moved to New York to study his craft more extensively. In New York, Hardwick studied off Broadway until 2000, when he made the move to Los Angeles. As a struggling actor, he worked odd jobs to pay for acting classes, however the security gigs and substitute teaching at times were not enough to make ends meet, and at one point he lived out of his car. Hardwick shares, "what is so crazy, is that where I presently shoot my series 'Dark Blue,' is where I lived in my car when I first moved to Los Angeles. It is surreal at times."

Hardwick's first big break came in 2003, when he was cast in his first major role as a series regular in Spike Lee's Sucker Free City. Two years later, he landed the feature The Guardian and TNT's Saved - both of which he booked within a three-week span in 2005. He notes, "I felt like I had arrived when I went back to one of my odd jobs that had let me go several years prior, and I looked out over Sunset Boulevard right next to the Chateau Marmont, and saw myself plastered on a billboard overlooking the city. I had to break down a little at that point, it was a big moment for me." Throughout 2007 - 2009 Hardwick worked on various projects, including guest starring on several television series, and filming several movies including Summit Entertainment's Next Day Air and Touchstone Picture's Miracle at St. Anna. In 2008 he landed the role of "Ty Curtis" on the TNT series Dark Blue. Season 1 aired throughout 2009. His continued success came when he was cast as the lead of the Starz series Power. Omari's performance is critically lauded, and the show went on to produce multiple spinoffs for the network. Having reached a new level of stardom, Omari can most recently be seen in Boots Riley's critically acclaimed Sorry to Bother You, Nobody's Fool opposite Tiffany Haddish, Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead for Netflix, and opposite Toni Collette in Pieces of Her, also for Netflix. He'll next be seen in Netflix projects The Mothership, opposite Halle Berry, and The Mother, opposite Jennifer Lopez.

In addition to acting, Hardwick is a founding member of Plan B Inc. Theater Group, and a co-founder of Los Angeles Actor's Lounge. He has big plans for his production company, Bravelife, in 2010 as well, and plans on expanding the company. Hardwick also continues to work on his poetry, and has written over 4,000 poems.
BornJanuary 9, 1974
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornJanuary 9, 1974
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000728
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Awards
    • 5 wins & 13 nominations

Photos200

Jennifer Lopez and Omari Hardwick in The Mother (2023)
Omari Hardwick
Richard Cetrone and Omari Hardwick in Army of the Dead (2021)
Ana de la Reguera, Omari Hardwick, and Raúl Castillo in Army of the Dead (2021)
Ana de la Reguera, Omari Hardwick, Dave Bautista, Nora Arnezeder, and Samantha Win in Army of the Dead (2021)
Tig Notaro, Ana de la Reguera, Matthias Schweighöfer, Omari Hardwick, Dave Bautista, Raúl Castillo, Colin Jones, and Samantha Win in Army of the Dead (2021)
Loretta Devine and Omari Hardwick in Spell (2020)
Omari Hardwick in Spell (2020)
Omari Hardwick and Naturi Naughton in Power (2014)
Omari Hardwick in Power (2014)
Joseph Sikora and Omari Hardwick in Power (2014)
Omari Hardwick in Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Known for:

Nicolas Cage, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in Kick-Ass (2010)
Kick-Ass
7.6
  • Sergeant Marcus Williams
  • 2010
Ana de la Reguera, Matthias Schweighöfer, Omari Hardwick, Dave Bautista, and Ella Purnell in Army of the Dead (2021)
Army of the Dead
5.8
  • Vanderohe
  • 2021
Omari Hardwick in Power (2014)
Power
8.1
TV Series
  • James 'Ghost' St. Patrick
LaKeith Stanfield in Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Sorry to Bother You
6.9
  • Mr. _______
  • 2018

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Phels High
    • Principal Floyd
    • Completed
    • 2023
  • Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas
    • Vanderohe
    • Post-production
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • The Mothership
    • Post-production
    • 2023
  • Planet of the Dead
    • In Development
  • Xeno
    • Jonathan Keyes
    • In Production
  • Die Enormous
    • BJ Rackley (rumored)
    • In Development
  • D Is for Detroit
    • Shaun Tillman
    • Pre-production
  • Jennifer Lopez in The Mother (2023)
    The Mother
    • Cruise
    • 2023
  • Amin Joseph and Skye P. Marshall in To Live and Die and Live (2023)
    To Live and Die and Live
    • Kevin
    • 2023
  • Fantasy Football (2022)
    Fantasy Football
    • Bobby Coleman
    • 2022
  • Toni Collette and Bella Heathcote in Pieces of Her (2022)
    Pieces of Her
    • Gordon Oliver
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • Ana de la Reguera, Matthias Schweighöfer, Omari Hardwick, Dave Bautista, and Ella Purnell in Army of the Dead (2021)
    Army of the Dead
    • Vanderohe
    • 2021
  • Michael Che in That Damn Michael Che (2021)
    That Damn Michael Che
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Omari Hardwick in Spell (2020)
    Spell
    • Marquis T. Woods
    • 2020
  • Omari Hardwick in Power (2014)
    Power
    • James 'Ghost' St. Patrick
    • TV Series
    • 2014–2020
  • American Skin (2019)
    American Skin
    • Omar 'Derwood' Scott
    • 2019
  • Dermot Mulroney, Gary Sinise, Robert Patrick, Max Martini, Elisabeth Röhm, Lily Rabe, Omari Hardwick, and Luis Bordonada in SGT. Will Gardner (2019)
    SGT. Will Gardner
    • Samuel 'Top' Gallegos
    • 2019
  • Tika Sumpter and Tiffany Haddish in Nobody's Fool (2018)
    Nobody's Fool
    • Frank
    • 2018
  • A Boy. A Girl. A Dream. (2018)
    A Boy. A Girl. A Dream.
    • Cass
    • 2018
  • LaKeith Stanfield in Sorry to Bother You (2018)
    Sorry to Bother You
    • Mr. _______
    • 2018
  • Jay-Z feat. Beyoncé: Family Feud (2017)
    Jay-Z feat. Beyoncé: Family Feud
    • Omari
    • Music Video
    • 2017
  • The Runner
    • Rick Goslin
    • 2017

Producer

  • Die Enormous
    • producer
    • In Development
  • D Is for Detroit
    • producer
    • Pre-production
  • A Boy. A Girl. A Dream. (2018)
    A Boy. A Girl. A Dream.
    • executive producer
    • 2018
  • Kings and Beggars
    • executive producer
    • producer
    • Short
    • 2013

Writer

  • Kings and Beggars
    • Writer
    • Short
    • 2013

Videos105

Jennifer Lopez on the 'Unpredictability' of Working With Wolves in 'The Mother'
Clip 3:12
Jennifer Lopez on the 'Unpredictability' of Working With Wolves in 'The Mother'
Jonathan Majors, Meagan Good, and More Complete the Sentence: "My Black Is ... "
Clip 2:43
Jonathan Majors, Meagan Good, and More Complete the Sentence: "My Black Is ... "
How 'To Live and Die and Live' Captures Detroit Like Never Before
Clip 3:06
How 'To Live and Die and Live' Captures Detroit Like Never Before
Next Day Air
Clip 1:27
Next Day Air
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:11
Official Trailer
Official Teaser
Trailer 0:48
Official Teaser
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:17
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:15
Official Trailer
Watch the Final Betrayal Now
Trailer 2:10
Watch the Final Betrayal Now
Season 6 Official Trailer
Trailer 1:46
Season 6 Official Trailer
TV Spot
Trailer 0:31
TV Spot
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:29
Official Trailer

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Instagram
    • Omari Hardwick
  • Alternative names
    • Omari Kenneth Hardwick
  • Height
    • 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
  • Born
    • January 9, 1974
    • Savannah, Georgia, USA
  • Spouse
    • Jennifer Pfautch2012 - present (1 child)
  • Parents
      Joyce Hardwick
  • Other works
    Audio Series: Bronzeville - Jesse Copeland, Episodes: 1-10.
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Article

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    After winning a state football title at Marist in Atlanta, Georgia, Omari was a starting defensive back in college for the Furman Purple Paladins (1993-1994) before transferring and playing the same position for the University of Georgia Bulldogs (1995-1996).

    He is an accomplished poet and has finished in the top five of the US national Poetry Slam competition in 2003 and 2004. He also co-founded the "Actors Lounge" at Los Angeles' Greenway Theater where young actors perform dramatic sketches for audiences, directors and producers.

    Coached and mentored Denzel Washington's son, John David Washington as a football player at Campbell Hall in Beverly Hills, California before he went on to become a standout at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

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