# Omari Hardwick

Omari Latif Hardwick (born January 9, 1974) is an American actor known for his starring role as James St. Patrick / Ghost, the protagonist of Starz's Power and his role as Vanderohe in Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead (2021). He is also known for his roles in Saved and Dark Blue, in Spike Lee's Miracle at St. Anna (2008), Kick-Ass (2010), Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls (2010) and as Andre in BET Network's Being Mary Jane.
Hardwick earned a 2025 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album nomination for the album Concrete & Whiskey Act II Part 1: A Bourbon 30 Series.

## Early life and education

Hardwick was born in Savannah, Georgia, the son of Joyce and Clifford Hardwick III, an attorney. He is one of four siblings. Growing up in Decatur, Georgia, Hardwick wrote poetry on a regular basis, and participated in many sports. In high school, he attended Marist School in Brookhaven, Georgia, where he played baseball, basketball and football. He later enrolled at the University of Georgia on a football scholarship. Hardwick continued acting and writing poetry, minoring in theater. In 1996, he pledged and became a member of the Zeta Pi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

## Career

After graduation, Hardwick initially pursued a career in football, hoping to join the San Diego Chargers. He declared himself for the NFL Draft, where he was not selected, and eventually returned to acting.
As a struggling actor, Hardwick did odd jobs in order to pay for acting classes and started living in his car. In 2002, Hardwick was an extra in Floetry's "Say Yes" music video. From 2003 to 2004, he participated in the National Poetry Slam competition, placing top 5 overall. Hardwick finally got his break in the 2004 TV movie Sucker Free City. In 2006, he booked a role in the feature film The Guardian and appeared as a series regular in the TV show Saved, which required he spend two years training as a fireman and a paramedic.
In 2010, Hardwick became a founding member of "Plan B Inc. Theater Group", and a co-founder of "Actor's Lounge" at the Los Angeles Greenway Theater. He also founded production company "Bravelife Films". Hardwick was also featured in the urban lifestyle publication, Prominence Magazine for its Holiday issue.
In 2011, Hardwick received his best film reviews to date for his role as "Troy" in the critically acclaimed indie hit I Will Follow. Hardwick has guest starred on an episode of NBC's Chase as Chris Novak, a hard luck criminal facing prison.
In 2013, Hardwick was cast in the lead role of James "Ghost" St. Patrick on the Starz crime drama-thriller, Power. The series ran for six seasons.
In 2016, he was featured by South African rapper Nasty C on a song titled "A Star Is Born".
Hardwick co-starred in the science fiction comedy film Sorry to Bother You, which was released in theaters on July 6, 2018.
In July 2019, Hardwick was cast in Zack Snyder's Netflix film Army of the Dead.
In January 2021, it was announced that Hardwick was cast as Gordon Oliver in Netflix's thriller series Pieces of Her, which is adapted from the Karin Slaughter novel of the same name.
In April 2022, it was announced that Hardwick would star alongside Marsai Martin and Kelly Rowland in the Paramount+ film Fantasy Football, released on November 25.

## Personal life

Hardwick began a relationship with Jennifer "Jae" Pfautch in the 2000s. Pfautch, who is of Native American and German descent, was disowned by her family in the aftermath for dating outside of her race. In 2008, the couple's first child was stillborn. Hardwick and Pfautch married in June 2012 and have two children, daughter Nova and son Brave. Hardwick is Catholic.

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Circles | Lameck | |
| 2004 | Within the Wall | Saul | Short film |
| 2004 | The Male Groupie | 'Act Shun' | Short film |
| 2005 | Beauty Shop | Byron | |
| 2006 | Speechless | Ku James | |
| 2006 | Gridiron Gang | 'Free' | |
| 2006 | The Guardian | Carl Billings | |
| 2008 | Miracle at St. Anna | Platoon Commander Huggs | |
| 2008 | Linewatch | Drake / Kimo | |
| 2009 | Next Day Air | Shavoo | |
| 2010 | Everyday Black Man | Malik | |
| 2010 | Kick-Ass | Sergeant Marcus Williams | |
| 2010 | The A-Team | Jay 'Chopshop Jay' | |
| 2010 | For Colored Girls | Carl Bradmore | Nominated – Black Reel Award for Best Breakthrough Performance |
| 2010 | I Will Follow | Troy | |
| 2012 | Sparkle | Levi | |
| 2012 | Middle of Nowhere | Derek | |
| 2013 | Kings & Beggars | Noah | Short film; also writer |
| 2013 | Lu | Dr. Harden | Short film |
| 2013 | Things Never Said | Curtis Jackson | |
| 2013 | The Last Letter | Michael Wright | |
| 2014 | Reach Me | Dominic | |
| 2014 | Lap Dance | Dr. Don Cook | |
| 2015 | Chapter & Verse | Jomo | |
| 2017 | Shot Caller | Ed Kutcher, Parole Officer | |
| 2017 | The Runner | Rick Roslin | |
| 2018 | Sorry to Bother You | Mr. _______ | |
| 2018 | A Boy. A Girl. A Dream. | Cass | Also executive producer |
| 2018 | Sgt. Will Gardner | Samuel 'Top' Gallegos | |
| 2018 | Nobody's Fool | Frank Johnson | |
| 2019 | American Skin | Omar Scott | |
| 2020 | Spell | Marquis | |
| 2021 | Army of the Dead | Vanderohe | |
| 2022 | Fantasy Football | Bobby Coleman | |
| 2023 | To Live and Die and Live | Kevin |
| 2023 | The Mother | William Cruise | |
| 2023 | Phels High | Principal Floyd | |
| 2024 | The Mothership | | Filmed in 2021, abandoned in 2024 during endless post-production |
| 2025 | Star Trek: Section 31 | Alok | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2004 | Sucker Free City | Dante Ponce | Television film |
| 2005 | Crossing Jordan | Ronald Pasco | Episode: "Judgement Day" |
| 2006 | Saved | John 'Sack' Hallon | Main cast |
| 2008 | CSI: Miami | Eddie Dashell | Episode: "And How Does That Make You Kill?" |
| 2008 | SIS | Donovan Rivers | Television film |
| 2009–2010 | Dark Blue | Ty Curtis | Main cast Nominated – NAMIC Vision Award Best Performance, Drama (2011) |
| 2009 | Lie to Me | Benny 'B' Davis | Episode: "The Better Half" |
| 2010 | Chase | Chris Novak | Episode: "Betrayed" |
| 2012 | Breakout Kings | Ronnie Markham | Episode: "Self Help" |
| 2013–2014 | Being Mary Jane | Andre Daniels | Main cast Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actor, TV Movie or Mini-Series (2014) Nominated – Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special (2014) Nominated – Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series (2015) |
| 2013 | A Christmas Blessing | Earl James | Television film Nominated – Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actor, TV Movie or Mini-Series |
| 2014–2020 | Power | James 'Ghost' St. Patrick | Main cast Nominated – BET Award for Best Actor (2017) (seasons 1—6) |
| 2021 | That Damn Michael Che | Himself | Episode: "Sex Worker" |
| 2022 | Pieces of Her | Gordon Oliver | Main cast |
| 2023 | Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas | Vanderohe | Voice work for animated series started in 2021, incomplete project abandoned by studio in 2023 |

### Music videos

| Year | Title | Artist | Role |
| 2000 | "No More" | Ruff Endz | Store Clerk |
| 2002 | "Say Yes" | Floetry | Passenger |
| 2011 | "Break My Heart" | Estelle featuring Rick Ross | Love interest |
| 2012 | "You Make Me Wanna" | Eshe featuring Omari Hardwick | Love interest |
| 2016 | "A Star is Born" | Nasty C featuring Omari Hardwick | Himself (cameo) |
| 2017 | "Flipmode" | Fabolous, Velous and Chris Brown | Himself (cameo) |
| 2017 | "Family Feud" | Jay-Z featuring Beyoncé | Mr. President |
| 2018 | "First Began" | PJ Morton | Love interest |

## Discography
### Singles

| Title | Year | Album |
| "Bloodshed" (with Josiah Bell) | 2017 | Non-album singles |
| "50+O=500" (with 50 Cent and David Rush) | 2018 | Non-album singles |
| "Some Kinda Way" | 2018 | Non-album singles |
| "hOme" (with Anthony Hamilton) | 2019 | Non-album singles |
| "Destiny" (with Marsha Ambrosius and Keyon Harrold) | 2024 | Non-album singles |
| "The Greatest" (with Tank) | 2024 | Non-album singles |
| "DMX" (with Goapele) | 2024 | Non-album singles |