Omari Hardwick Accused Of Plotting To Have Joseph Sikora Removed From Power Because He Lost His Job, Actor Argues With Fans On Social Media

Before Omari Hardwick played the wildly popular character of Ghost in the series Power, he was cast in films such as Beauty Shop, For Colored Girls, and tv shows like Dark Blue and Being Mary Jane.  Hardwick, however, transformed into a star when he was cast in the Courtney Kemp-created and 50 Cent-produced show.  

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A post shared by Omari Hardwick (@omarihardwickofficial) on Feb 29, 2020 at 5:16pm PST

The crime-drama, Power, told the story of “Ghost”, real name is James St. Patrick, who leads a life of drug dealing and crime, ultimately rising to the top of the drug game, before deciding to leave that world behind and focus on his nightclub.  St. Patrick is also juggling a family that’s dealing with his failed marriage, his new girlfriend, and his other nefarious dealings.  For six seasons, fans followed his story until the show’s completion, where Hardwick’s character met his demise on the series finale.

Courtney Kemp spoke on her decision to that the show in that direction in a previous interview with Entertainment Weekly.  “50 [Cent] said to me, ‘People aren’t going to like it because it’s over,'” she stated. “There were a lot of people that would have preferred that Ghost get a happy ending and rode off triumphant into the sunset. I just felt uncomfortable with having had a character do so many horrible things and being so unrepentant and not having him get punished for it.”

Despite Ghost being killed in the finale, which the show’s creator described as the “saddest ending of a television show ever”, his name has lived on in the show’s spin-off series, Power Book II: Ghost.  Hardwick doesn’t appear in the series, but while on the promotional trail for his upcoming film Spell, he did an interview with Entertainment Weekly where he touched on Power, revealing that he had an alternate vision for the show’s ending, and also saw the show ending after the seventh season instead of six. 

“Between season 1 and season 2, I’m just now putting on the coat of Ghost, I’m trying to learn who this guy is and to get comfy with him,” he said to the publication. “I’m jogging in Boston, and it comes to me as how it should end. Just creatively I shared it with [Kemp]. I emailed it in case she uses it and I at least have credit. What I email her was that it’s season 7 and Ghost, like Denzel [Washington] in Man on Fire, an eye for an eye, a life for a life, he has to go help his brother, Tommy.

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“Tommy does what he shouldn’t do and Ghost has to give his life,” he continued. “I share with her, she likes it. I shared it with Joe, he’s a big brain, a hell of a writer, and he excitingly goes, “Oh man, let’s take it a whole nother level.’ And we create Romeo and Romeo. So when Ghost dies, Tommy can’t live without Ghost and Tommy takes his life and he falls on top of the body of Ghost. That’s what I thought should happen.”

With the character “Tommy”, played by Joseph Sikora, still alive, it was announced that the fan-favorite will have his own spin-off, Power Book IV: Force.  The announcement was made back in August with the network Starz giving it the green light for 10 episodes.  

Some fans caught wind of Hardwick’s recent comments on the show and took to social media to weigh in.  The Spell actor didn’t take too kindly to their opinions and he apparently had time, as he also addressed the fan comments, directly.  One user commented, “Uuum he really believe ghosts hype.  Tommy ain’t that type,” to which the actor responds, “no you do.  I simple offered a creative thought from season TWO & where we were in [the] story. Man y’all hilarious,” he added.

Another user questioned, “That’s dumb .. why would tommy do that,” to which the actor again responded directly saying, “I don’t know. Ask Joseph,” referring to Sikora who portrays Tommy.    When another fan commented and brought Sikora into the picture, saying “Boy bye, don’t be trying to push Joseph out of a job cause you can’t come back,” it seemed to push a nerve further for Hardwick, who chose to comment, “I see you. Clearly.  Appreciate the view.”

This is not the first time that Hardwick got in his feelings on social media.  Earlier this year the actor captioned an Instagram post with the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley, a fan commented “We want ghost f— what you talking about,” underneath. 

Hardwick retorted, bringing out his inner “Ghost” perhaps, saying “now you ….you the clown. When i slap the s–t outa you (cuz you don’t deserve more than that) outa you….i will remind you thas from me, Omari. […] Should go ask your Momz if she can rebirth you. Matta fact….go find Tommy & Joe. See if they don’t say the same.”

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A post shared by Omari Hardwick (@omarihardwickofficial) on Dec 22, 2018 at 3:18pm PST

Fans can catch Power Book II: Ghost on Starz when it returns in December for the season’s final episodes.