Omar Epps: One of the Best Leading Men

The nineties was a good time for African American culture. Whether it was the new, bold, urban clothing (picture Karl Kani, FUBU), hip-hop music (think … your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper), timeless R&B (Jodeci, Mary J Blige, Boyz II Men), classic TV shows (Martin, Living Single, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), we were definitely making a statement.

This decade was also great for black actors. African American movies depicted our reality, whether it was life in the hood (Boyz N Da Hood, Menace II Society) or mending a broken heart (Boomerang, Love Jones). Everyone got a chance to see us shine bright on the silver screen.

One of the leading men at that time was Omar Epps. Epps was born on July 20, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York. His mother raised him after his parents divorced when he was younger. Prior to acting, he was in a rap group with his cousin called Wolfpack. He attended LaGuardia High School of Music and Arts and Performing Arts. At the age of 17, he briefly toured with Queen Latifah as a back up singer and dancer. Then right after graduating from high school, he caught his big break starring alongside Tupac Shakur, Khalil Cain and Jermaine Hopkins as mischievous teens that constantly got into trouble in the movie Juice.

After Juice he starred in Daybreak and The Program before landing the lead role as Malik in the critically acclaimed John Singleton film Higher Learning. Then from 1999–2000 he starred in a string of movies more successful than the last: In Too Deep with LL Cool J, The Wood with Taye Diggs, and the hit that made him a household name, Love & Basketball with Sanaa Lathan.

While he proved himself to be a leading man on the big screen, he also had a great run on the small screen as well. He played Dr. Dennis Grant on ER from 1996–1997, but it was his role as Dr. Eric Foreman on the Fox medical drama House that won him three NAACP Image Awards (2007, 2008, 2013). Epps starred in House for the show’s eight-season run (2004–2012).

After House ended he took the time to enjoy the family he had with his wife Keisha Epps (from the R&B group Total), the two children they have together and his oldest daughter from a previous relationship. Then fans got to see him play a minor role in the 2016 holiday film Almost Christmas. These days fans may be able to catch him in Shooter, the USA drama about an expert marksman.