I found poetry at 12 and 13 and, lo and behold, learned that my attorney father had a background in poetry - as he wore dashikis and Afros in the '70s and named his kids Arabic names. He was a poet and a lot like The Last Poets and Gil Scott-Heron and all of these folks. He definitely was an artist. - Omari Hardwick 2 Share Now -
I'm a black Catholic raised in Decatur, Georgia, which was very gang-infested. Then, I went to an all-white private high school and excelled in sports and wrote poetry, then played football at the University of Georgia, minoring in drama. - Omari Hardwick 3 Share Now -
I grew up in a two-parent household. We all played sports, all sports, which cost a lot of money. My pops was an attorney; he went to College of the Holy Cross with Clarence Thomas. My mom worked a bit, then gradually came home and took care of us full time. - Omari Hardwick 5 Share Now -
That's the thing with me being a former athlete: in the way I attack characters and attack poetry is from the base of being an athlete. - Omari Hardwick 6 Share Now -
A powerful person is equally cool with their flaws and things that aren't powerful about them at all. - Omari Hardwick 7 Share Now -
Poetry is almost like my foundation for everything. I almost feel I am a better actor and writer because of it. - Omari Hardwick 8 Share Now -
I really had a problem with being 'the man.' I'm past it now, but that was my insecurity. I ran from that. I was cool with being No. 3 on the call sheet or No. 2. - Omari Hardwick 9 Share Now -
