HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Omar Hashim Epps (born July 20, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, and producer. 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. Similar to ...
, two
Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards is an annual awards show that airs on the Fox television network. The awards honor the year's biggest achievements in music, film, sports, television, fashion, social media, and more, voted by viewers living in the United S ...
, one
MTV Movie Award The MTV Movie & TV Awards (formerly the MTV Movie Awards) is a film and television awards show presented annually on MTV. The first MTV Movie Awards were presented in 1992. The ceremony was renamed the MTV Movie & TV Awards for 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 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
. 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 ''Higher Learning'' is a 1995 American drama, drama film written and directed by John Singleton and starring an ensemble cast. The film follows the changing lives of three incoming freshmen at the fictional Columbus University: Malik Williams (Om ...
'', ''
The Wood ''The Wood'' is a 1999 American coming-of-age comedy drama film directed by Rick Famuyiwa and starring Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones and Taye Diggs. It was written by Famuyiwa and Todd Boyd. Plot Roland is getting married and is currently missing. ...
'', '' In Too Deep'', and ''
Love & Basketball ''Love & Basketball'' is a 2000 American romantic sports drama film written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood in her feature film directorial debut. The film is produced by Spike Lee and Sam Kit and stars Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. It tells ...
''. His television work includes the role of Dr. Dennis Gant on the
medical drama A medical drama is a television show or film in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic programming go beyond the events pertaining to the chara ...
series '' ER'', J. Martin Bellamy in ''
Resurrection Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, which ...
'', 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 condi ...
'' from 2004 to 2012, and Isaac Johnson in the TV series ''
Shooter Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, Bow and arrow, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or Blowgun, blowpipe). Even the acts of launching Flamethrower, flame, artillery, Dart (missile), darts, ha ...
'' from 2016 to 2018.


Early life

Omar Epps was born in
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
. His parents divorced during his 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 borough of Brooklyn in New York City, United States. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are roughly the Cemetery Belt and the Queens borough lin ...
, 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 ...
). Before he started acting, he belonged to a
rap Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
group called Wolfpack, which he formed with his cousin in 1991. He began writing poetry, short stories, and songs at the age of ten and attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.


Career

Early in his career, Epps was most often cast in the roles of troubled teens and/or athletes. He made his feature film debut with
rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the Li ...
as the star of
cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...
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, he is known for his frequent collaborations with Spike Lee ever since they were c ...
'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 ...
''. Epps followed up his performance in ''Juice'' as a DJ, by later playing a running back in the
college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...
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) – a performance which earned him Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award an ...
. Epps starred in the film ''Deadly Voyage'', and 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, introdu ...
for portraying Kingsley Ofusu in this true story about African stowaways. The following year, he switched to baseball as co-star of ''
Major League II ''Major League II'' is a 1994 American sports comedy film and sequel to the 1989 film '' Major League'' and it is the second installment in the ''Major League'' film series. The film stars most of the same cast from the original, including Charl ...
'', taking over the role of Willie Mays Hayes from originator
Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist. His prominent film roles include '' Major League'' (1989), ''New Jack City'' (1991), ''White Men Can't Jump'' (1992), ''Passenger 57'' (1992), '' R ...
. 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 B ...
's ''
Higher Learning ''Higher Learning'' is a 1995 American drama, drama film written and directed by John Singleton and starring an ensemble cast. The film follows the changing lives of three incoming freshmen at the fictional Columbus University: Malik Williams (Om ...
'', a look at the politics and racial tensions of college life. Epps played Dr. Dennis Gant, a troubled surgical intern, on television drama '' ER'' for several episodes. 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 and talk show host. She is co-host of the Facebook Watch talk show '' Red Table Talk'', for which she has received a Daytime Emmy Award. ''Time'' named ...
, who ends up an early victim of a
psychopathic Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits. Different conceptions of psychopathy have been ...
slasher Slasher may refer to: * Slasher (basketball), a style of play in basketball * Slasher film, a subgenre of the horror film * Slasher (tool), a scrub-clearing implement * ''Slasher'' (2004 film), a 2004 documentary film * ''Slasher'' (2007 film) ...
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 Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jamie Kennedy, Laurie Metcalf, Jerry O'Connell, Elise Neal, Timot ...
''. Also in 1997, Epps was the star of the fact-based HBO movie ''
First Time Felon ''First Time Felon'' is a 1997 drama film starring Omar Epps. Plot A young inexperienced drug dealer and Vice Lords gang member, Greg Yance (Omar Epps), is arrested for drug possession in his hometown, Chicago. Because of Yance having five grams o ...
''. He played a small-time criminal who goes through Chicago's boot camp reform system and undertakes a heroic flood rescue, only to then 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, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, Clarence Williams III as ...
''. 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 and starring Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones and Taye Diggs. It was written by Famuyiwa and Todd Boyd. Plot Roland is getting married and is currently missing. ...
'' offered him a serious and multi-dimensional role. Following a group of middle-class African Americans from youth to adulthood, ''The Wood'', 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 * ''Di ...
-
screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...
Rick Famuyiwa Rick Famuyiwa (born June 18, 1973) is an American director, producer and screenwriter of productions including ''The Wood'' (1999), ''Brown Sugar'' (2002), '' Talk to Me'' (2007), '' Dope'' (2015), and ''Confirmation'' (2016). His films have bee ...
, 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), '' ...
and
Taye Diggs Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs (born January 2, 1971) is an American stage and film 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 the ...
. Also in 1999, Epps was featured alongside
Stanley Tucci Stanley Tucci Jr. ( ; born November 11, 1960) is an American actor and filmmaker. Involved in acting from a young age, he made his film debut in John Huston's ''Prizzi's Honor'' (1985), and continued to play a variety of supporting roles in film ...
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, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...
, playing an undercover detective who finds himself caught up in the illegal goings-on he is investigating in '' In Too Deep''. 1999 also saw him lens the 1950s set murder mystery ''When Willows Touch'', with
James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...
and Jada Pinkett Smith. In 2000, Epps starred in ''
Love & Basketball ''Love & Basketball'' is a 2000 American romantic sports drama film written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood in her feature film directorial debut. The film is produced by Spike Lee and Sam Kit and stars Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. It tells ...
'', featuring
Alfre Woodard Alfre Woodard (; born November 8, 1952) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including four Primetime Emmy Awards (tying the record for the most acting Emmys won by an African-American performer, along with Regina King), ...
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 (TV series), ''In the House'', ''Famil ...
. He portrayed Quincy, the
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
hopeful who has a stormy relationship with an equally adept female basketball star Monica, played by Lathan. Epps also had supporting roles in a series of films, including ''
Dracula 2000 ''Dracula 2000'' (also known internationally as ''Dracula 2001'') is a 2000 American gothic film, gothic horror film co-written and directed by Patrick Lussier and produced by Joel Soisson and Wes Craven (executive producer), and starring Gerard ...
'', '' Big Trouble'', and the telepic ''Conviction''. He also had a leading role as a gangster in ''
Brother A brother 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 familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-familia ...
'', a movie by Japanese actor/director
Takeshi Kitano is a Japanese comedian, television presenter, actor, filmmaker, and author. 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. With th ...
. In 2004, Epps landed the role of drug-dealer-turned-prizefighter Luther Shaw, who falls under the tutelage of boxing promoter
Jackie Kallen Jackie Kallen (born Jackie Kaplan, April 23, 1946) is one of boxing's first and most successful female managers. Her life was the inspiration for the 2004 film ''Against the Ropes'', starring Meg Ryan as Kallen, in which she had a brief speaking ro ...
(
Meg Ryan Meg Ryan (born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra; November 19, 1961) is an American actress. She began her acting career in 1981 when she made her acting debut in the drama film ''Rich and Famous''. She later joined the cast of the CBS soap opera ...
) in the biopic ''
Against the Ropes ''Against the Ropes'' is a 2004 American sports film, sports Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Charles S. Dutton (in his List of directorial debuts, feature film directorial debut) and starring Meg Ryan and Omar Epps. The story is ...
''. Epps was a character in the video game ''
Def Jam Fight for NY ''Def Jam: Fight for NY'' is a hip hop-influenced action video game published by EA Games (unlike the original, which was published under the EA Sports BIG brand). It was released on September 20, 2004 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube. It ...
'' in 2004. Also in 2004, Epps returned to television medical drama with his role as Dr. Eric Foreman on the 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 condi ...
''. The role earned him a
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. Similar to ...
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. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, which ...
''. 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, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
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 Net ...
''. In 2022, it was announced that Epps would star in the Lee Daniels' horror/thriller ''
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 for 1904. Hackett, Alice PayneSeventy years of best sellers, 1895-1965 p. 1 ...
'' alongside
Mo'Nique Monique Angela Hicks (née Imes; born December 11, 1967), known professionally as Mo'Nique, is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She has received an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award. She ...
,
Andra Day Andra may refer to: People * Andra (singer) (born 1986), Romanian singer *Andra (musician), Zimbabwean-American musician * Andra Karpin (born 1979), Estonian footballer * Andra Neiburga (1957–2019), Latvian writer *Andra Day (born 1984), Amer ...
, Miss Lawrence, and
Tasha Smith Tasha Smith (born February 28, 1971) is an American actress, director and producer. She began her career in a starring role on the NBC comedy series ''Boston Common'' (1996–97), and she later appeared in numerous movies and television series. ...
.


Personal life

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 2006. They have two children, daughter K'mari Mae and son Amir. He also has a daughter, Aiyanna, from a previous relationship. He is fluent in Spanish and French. Epps and actor/comedian
Marlon Wayans Marlon Lamont Wayans (born July 23, 1972) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Wayans began his career portraying a pedestrian in ''I'm Gonna Git You Sucka'' (1988). He went on to regularly collaborate with his brother Shawn Wa ...
are longtime friends and high school classmates at LaGuardia High, both graduating in 1990. The 1997−1999 theme song used for the sitcom ''
The Wayans Brothers ''The Wayans Bros.'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on The WB from January 11, 1995, to May 20, 1999. The series starred real life brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans. The series also starred John Witherspoon and Anna Maria Hors ...
'' 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. Along with his brother Marlon Wayans, he wrote and starred in The WB's sitcom ''The Wayans Bros.''(1995–1999) and in the comedy films ''Don't Be a ...
. 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 "Bla ...
, saying, "Me and Mike Epps ain't related, though, we spoke like, 'Where you from? Where you from?'" Epps authored an autobiographical book 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 nonpartisan nonprofit organization focused on ending political corruption in the United States. It refuses to take donations from political parties and it neither endorses nor opposes particular political candidates. Funded by d ...
, 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


Discography

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


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Epps, Omar 1973 births Living people Male actors from New York City American male child actors African-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 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