Some “Power” fans said they were shocked to learn that Michael Rainey Jr.‘s character Tariq killed his father James “Ghost” St. Patrick, played by Omari Hardwick. At the same time, others said they knew it all along. But either way, Hardwick said that his character died prematurely.
“At the end of the day, I was a strong Black father figure that wanted the best for his family, especially his children and their future,” Hardwick told Page Six. “I felt like my character should have been gone in season 7. I felt he was definitely a good father, but he wasn’t so affectionate, but he was present enough. My character may have had bad sides like many do, but he was present, even at his children’s school.”
Hardwick played a New York City drug dealer turned club owner who eventually went into politics. He was gunned down by Tariq in the show’s sixth and final season.
Hardwick’s take is that between his character and Tariq’s mother played by Naturi Naughton he was the better parent.
“Out of both parents, Ghost was probably the better parent,” he stated. “He told his son to go to school while his wife Tasha told him to deal drugs.”
Later in the interview, Hardwick was asked if he were fearful of being pigeonholed for playing Ghost.
“I know the character of Ghost will sometimes be pushed back when I’m playing another role,” he answered. “I am more than one dimension. However, if someone calls me Ghost on the street that’s fine, but I am not scared of this character to follow me. I did not quarantine my talent when I was playing Ghost. I did nine movies during that time.”
One new movie for Hardwick is “Army of the Dead,” a story that takes place in the world of zombies.
