Actor Omari Hardwick continues to share his grievances about the unexpected and controversial ending of his character, James “Ghost” St. Patrick, in the hit Starz series “Power.” During a recent panel discussion at the Uninterrupted Film Festival, he called out Courtney A. Kemp, Starz execs, and 50 Cent for selling him and the show’s fans a dream.
On July 10, during the Uninterrupted Film Festival (powered by the Tribeca Film Festival) in Los Angeles, Hardwick was joined by former NBA player Matt Barnes and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young when he was asked about the death of his “Power” character. In a clip posted by @PowerIsFire on Instagram, Hardwick told his fellow panelists, “If I didn’t die, it means I’m still working, right? And my damn checks don’t have ‘Power’ on it no more.”
Hardwick expressed that he has spoken to several fans and shares the same sentiment that the original “Power’s” conclusion did not do justice to his role or to the series’ overall narrative.
According to Hardwick, Ghost was introduced as a drug dealer striving to reinvent himself as a legitimate businessman and politician.
However, as the series progressed, the storyline took a different turn, increasingly entangling Ghost in criminal activities, culminating in his death at the hands of his own son, Tariq. This unexpected twist not only shocked fans but also left Hardwick feeling betrayed by the show’s creative direction.
“I have so much empathy for the fans, bro,” he said in the clip, “Because you were sold and told a story that did not continue, guys, in the way that it was sold and told to me that it would continue. So, you have every right to be hitting me up at every airport, every bus stop…”
Hardwick continued his rant by name-dropping the bigwigs behind “Power.” “I know that y’all have to ask me. Sometimes I’m like, ‘Damn, is Courtney fielding these questions today? Are the execs at Starz, or is Curtis fielding these questions?’ And for real, I feel like it’s just me fielding these questions.”
The former “Power” star then redirected the conversation back to having empathy for the fans.
“I’m with y’all in this sense,” said Hardwick. “I’m with you in the sense that the way the story was sold and told to me is not befitting of the way it ended, guys. So y’all have every right to be like, ‘It didn’t end right.’”
He added, “And because we don’t honor fans enough, and I know Matt and Trae are different. We honor our y’all. We honor our fans, man. We often forget that the fans are being sold and told a story that has a genesis and that it has to end the way that it was sold and told to end.”
Going on for nearly three minutes, Hardwick laid his feelings on the line for the conference attendees. He went on to refer to the crime drama, which ran for six seasons, as “art” worthy of being viewed as a museum exhibit.
“Had it ended the way we started the show, then I think you guys would be extremely satisfied with the art, the beautiful freaking art that the show was,” Hardwick expressed. “It should exist in museums. You should be able to forever have conversations about the show.”
Hardwick then acknowledged fans’ emotional attachment to Ghost while expressing that he personally loved the character as well and urging them to continue to support his journey.
“This was everybody’s uncle. Whether Jamie or Ghost, he was everybody’s uncle who was, more importantly, trying to go right from going wrong. And I loved him, and I always will love him. But I just want fans to always remember I played the guy. I’m a little bit bigger than him. So it’s better to follow me than a character,” he concluded.
This discussion reignited a conversation Hardwick initiated earlier in the year, where he criticized “Power” creator Courtney Kemp and producer 50 Cent for deviating from the initial character arc promised to him.
After getting wind of Hardwick’s most recent statement, 50 Cent took to social media to address the viral video.
In a post that quickly gained traction, 50 Cent questioned Hardwick’s grievances, writing with clip of the panel, “This [ninja emoji] is a strange bird [bird emoji]. The f—k is he talking about, [raised-eyebrow emoji] I never done nothing but look out for him. If he needed something I gave it to him. I understand now, that s—t didn’t matter.”
👀This 🥷🏾is a strange bird 🦜 the fuck is he talking about,🤨I never done nothing but look out for him. If he needed something I gave it to him. I understand now, that shit didn’t matter. https://t.co/jnbpt4Vpb3 pic.twitter.com/hiFemKHuoN
— 50cent (@50cent) July 13, 2024
After listening to the clip, one Instagram commenter wrote, “Man i usually stand down from this type of stuff but i haven’t seen him nowhere else since then . You have to use the opportunity to get to other situations . 150k a week to me is good money especially the times we live in . Not saying he not worth more or less . But u cant sh-t on ppl that give u a shot.”
Hardwick’s manager, Two Lewis was one of the first to comment under the “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” recording artist’s post, saying, “That’s not what he said y’all make anything a headline.”
50 Cent has since deleted his post from Instagram. However, his Twitter post still remains.
The Shade Room posted the clip and 50’s comment, allowing its followers to weigh in. Surprisingly, many fans sided with Hardwick and blasted 50 for dragging his comments.
“50 over reacting if this is all he said,” one fan said.
Another added, “Two things can be true. Ghost made POWER and I wouldn’t want to get on 50 cents BAD SIDE‼️”
“Omari made an entire network relevant,” one person wrote. “Nobody especially minorities thought of having subscriptions to Starz prior to his character.. let him vent all he wants.”
“He not shytting on you 50. He just didn’t wanna get killed off. And nobody else wanted him to get killed off either,” a fourth comment explained.
Many of the comments asked for 50 and the other showrunners to quickly write Ghost back into the story so that they can honorably tie up his franchise before it ends.
In 2023, the actor said he had been “asked … to come back,” but he and the team could not agree on his compensation.
“Power” debuted to critical acclaim in 2014, drawing audiences into the complex life of Ghost, his family, and his high school sweetheart.
Hardwick, who brought Ghost to life on screen, was particularly proud of the character’s multifaceted portrayal, reflecting the struggles and aspirations of many Black men in America. However, as the series approached its sixth season, both Hardwick and fans began to voice concerns over the character’s decisions and the storyline’s trajectory.
In a Rolling Out article published in May 2024, Hardwick expressed his dissatisfaction with the choices imposed on Ghost and the character’s ultimate demise. “Ghost didn’t get to die with anybody,” he lamented. “Ghost died alone. The n—ga died on the floor. The cold floor. That hurt me. That’s not good.”
He further critiqued the message this ending sent to the Black community, asserting that it was not a statement that anyone should have been proud of.
