Actor Omari Hardwick firmly pushed again on rumors that he has unhealthy blood together with his former “Energy” co-star Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.
Hardwick, 51, is finest identified for enjoying the lead function of James “Ghost” St. Patrick within the “Energy” crime drama for six seasons. Jackson, 49, performed Kanan Stark on the Starz collection and later grew to become an govt producer.
In a latest interview with Citizen TV Kenya, Hardwick was requested about his exit from the “Energy” franchise, although he wasn’t keen on the interviewer insinuating he made sick remarks about his former boss and co-star 50 Cent.
“I by no means stated some issues. I by no means stated some issues. The place did I say some issues? Don’t ever try this, bro. Don’t ever try this. Who stated some issues?” Hardwick stated to the interviewer.
“I didn’t say some issues,” he continued. “I don’t actually rock like that, do I? You understand my model. I don’t say a lot. I simply lead with love, and 50 solely gave me love.”
Hardwick insisted, “He may give different folks some issues, storywise, then they take these issues and so they make no matter story they wish to. That’s not my actuality. I can textual content 50 proper now in entrance of us throughout this interview.”
The Art of Dialogue reposted a clip of Hardwick’s interview on Instagram, the place folks within the remark part instructed the previous College of Georgia soccer participant tapped into his “Energy” persona.
“He performed Ghost a lil [too] good, lol, watch out,” one individual stated, whereas a second Instagram consumer chimed in, “Man become Ghost quick!”
A 3rd wrote, “That’s the way you correctly test the bulls—.” One more fan expressed, “Yeah, begin checking these interviewers, they begin BS for views so flip the BS on them!!”
Nevertheless, Hardwick acquired referred to as out too. “You voiced displeasure in your compensation for ‘Energy.’ And 50 stated you ‘overvalue’ your self. These are the issues the reporter is referring to,” stated one critic.
Hardwick beforehand spoke about being dissatisfied together with his earnings whereas on the present throughout a 2022 look on “The Pivot” podcast, receiving as much as $150,000 per episode.
“I nonetheless haven’t made what I ought to have made. I nonetheless by no means made the cash — no, the cash, I by no means made what I ought to have made. By no means,” he revealed.
Whereas opening up about his time on the present, he even famous the Fif loaned him cash twice whereas filming.
“It was the summer time after season 1 after which it was the summer time after season 2. He gave me $20,000 after which the following summer time he gave me $23 [thousand],” Hardwick shared, noting that fifty was keen on his spouse and their two youngsters. “It was completely given in a manner you already know, ‘Deal with the household, bro.’”
As well as, Hardwick mentioned having considerations about how the “Energy” artistic workforce dealt with the way in which his in style Ghost character was killed off on the show.
“Ghost didn’t get to die with anyone,” Hardwick said in March 2024. “Ghost died alone. The n— died on the ground. The chilly ground. That damage me. That’s not good.”
He continued, “That’s not a press release that we should always make to the Black group or different communities.” The Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity member stated he shared his complaints with “Energy” creator Courtney Kemp.
The story beat that precipitated Ghost’s loss of life grew to become a polarizing subject amongst “Energy” viewers. Some followers needed to see the underworld kingpin survive or at the least lose his life otherwise.
Hardwick empathized with among the followers’ criticism. He publicly questioned if this system’s producers and community executives might clarify the lead character’s unanticipated demise.
“Generally I’m like, ‘Rattling, is Courtney fielding these questions at the moment? Are the execs at Starz, or is Curtis fielding these questions?’ And for actual, I really feel prefer it’s simply me fielding these questions,” Hardwick wondered in July 2024.
In response, 50 Cent tweeted, “This can be a unusual chook. The f— is he speaking about, I by no means performed nothing however look out for him. If he wanted one thing I gave it to him. I perceive now, that s— didn’t matter.”
The Queens native’s now-deleted tweet got here after Hardwick admitted in 2019 that the G-Unit Movies and Tv founder lent him cash on a number of events with one mortgage quantity being round $20,000.
Jackson additionally addressed what Hardwick needed to say about his “Energy” expertise whereas showing on “The Breakfast Membership” radio present in October 2024.
“I feel he overvalues himself,” 50 Cent stated about his former co-star. “It’s been a very long time since he’s been in ‘Energy.’ Why are we not excited concerning the new initiatives?”
The “In da Membership” rapper resumed, “If there was noise occurring and he was that huge of a draw, then we might see the noise and the brand new issues occurring. We see you out the place you’re actively in a spot the place persons are in search of you.”
Following his six-season run on “Energy” from June 2014 to February 2020, Hardwick starred in Netflix’s “Items of Her,” “The Mom,” alongside Jennifer Lopez and Marsai Martin’s “Fantasy Soccer,” alongside Kelly Rowland.
His filmography additionally contains appearing work in movement photos corresponding to “For Coloured Women,” “Sorry to Hassle You,” “Military of the Lifeless,” and his newest venture, “Star Trek: Part 31.”
