How Omar Epps Achieved a Net Worth of $15 Million
Actor Omar Epps has a steady career as an actor which has made him a wealthy man. He is also a musician, a writer, and a producer. Epps showed talent early on and excelled in music and acting. He is best known for his role as Dr. Foreman in Fox’s medical drama House, but he has appeared in many films and television shows. He’s even a character in a video game. Here’s how Omar Epps achieved a net worth of $15 million.
He grew up in Brooklyn
Omar Epps was born in Brooklyn, New York on July 20, 1973. His parents divorced when he was young, and he was raised by his mother Bonnie, an elementary school principal. Epps lived in several Brooklyn neighborhoods while growing up including East Flatbush, East New York, Bedford, and Stuyvesant. The young Epps showed his artistic talent early on. At just 10 years old, he began writing songs, poetry, and short stories. His mother saw his talent and sent her son to the Florello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Performing Arts.
He’s friends with Marlon Wayans and was a rapper
It was at the Florello H. LaGuardia High School that Omar Epps met Marlon Wayans. The life long friends would become famous. Epps co-produced the theme song to the sitcom The Wayans Brothers with Marlon and his brother Shawn. During high school, Epps showed his talent for rap music. He and his cousin formed the rap group Wolfpack in 1993 and performed in New York City.
Film Career
In 1988, at the age of just 15, Omar Epps made and appeared in a short film called The Green Flash. Early in his acting career, Epps played roles mostly as a troubled teen and as an athlete. His first film was 1992’s Juice. He played a Disc Jockey in the movie starring Tupac Shakur. The following year, Epps played a college football player in the movie The Program starring James Caan. Next he played Kingsley Ofusu in Deadly Village. In 1994 Epps took over Wesley Snipe’s role from Major League I in the movie’s sequel. Epps continued a steady career with dynamic roles in movies. In 1995 he played the role of a track and field star in John Singleton’s Higher Learning which delved into the subjects of politics and racial tension in sports. Epps followed up the role in the 1997 movie Scream 2 and First Time Felon, an HBO movie about an ex convict. In 1999 Epps had roles in The Mod Squad as Linc, Breakfast of Champions, The Wood, In Too Deep, When Willows Touch, and In Too Deep. The Wood follows middle class African American men from their youth into their adulthood. It starred Taye Diggs and Richard T. Jones. Epps played an undercover detective in In Too Deep which starred L.L. Cool J. and Stanley Tucci. When Willows Touch is a murder mystery set in the 1950’s starring James Earl Jones and Jada Pinkett Smith. Omar Epps continued his film career in the 2000’s steadily playing roles. In 2000 he played Quincy, an NBA hopeful, in Love and Basketball with Sanaa Lathan and Alfre Woodward. Epps had supporting roles in Dracula 2000, Big Trouble, and Conviction, and the lead role as a gangster in the Japanese Directed Brother. In 2004 Epps appeared in the remake of the movie Alfie and in against the Ropes with Meg Ryan. Against the Ropes told the story of drug dealer, Luther Shaw, who becomes a prize fighter when trained by Jacke Kallen. Epps continued to appear in films including A Day In the Life, Almost Christmas, Traffik, Trick, and 3022. Most recently, Epps played David Hammond in the 2020 Netflix movie Fatal Affair. Epps also voiced a character in the 2004 video game Def Jam Fight For New York.
Television Career
In addition to his steady film career, Omar Epps has had a very successful television career. In 1993 he appeared in episodes of Here and Now and Street Justice. In 1996 Epps played the role of Kingsley Ofusu in the television movie deadly Voyage. The movie was based on the true story of African stowaways and won an award at the Monte Carlo Television Festival. During the 1996-1997 season of the medical drama ER, Epps played struggling intern Dr. Dennis Grant. From 2004 to 2012 Epps played the role is most remembered for. He played neurologist Dr. Dennis Grant on Fox’s medical diagnostic series House. Epps won three NCAA Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2007, 2008, and 2013. Following his role in House, Omar Epps appeared in ABC’s Resurrection and had the main role of Captain Isacc Johnson in the series Shooter. Epps had a recurring role as Darnelle Hodges, Malik’s dad, in the fourth season of This Is Us. Most recently, Epps plays the role of Detective Malcomb Howard in Power Book III: Raising Kanan.
Personal Life, a book, and Philanthropic Causes
Omar Epps has always demonstrated his artistic skills in music, producing, writing, and acting. He also speaks Spanish and French fluently. Epps released an album, Omar Epps Presents…The Get Back in 2004. He published his autobiography, From Fatherless to Fatherhood in 2018. The book touches on themes including community, family, and fatherhood. In 2006 Omar Epps married Keisha Spivey. She is a member of the R & B group Total. Total was one of the signature acts of Sean Comb’s Bad Boy Records during the 1990’s. Omar and Keisha have two children, daughter K’mori and son Amir. Epps also has a daughter, Alyanna, from a previous relationship. Epps sold his home in Woodland Hills for just under a million dollars when he and his wife purchased a home in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. They purchased the 5,434 square foot home in 2006 for $2.2 million. The home features five and a half baths, a three car garage, Brazilian cherry floors, a wrought iron staircase, and a French limestone fireplace. Omar Epps contributes to several of his favorite causes regularly. He is an advocate and member of the cultural council of RepresentUs. The non-profit organization helps to get anti-corruption laws passed in the United States. Epps supports changing the American criminal justice system and. in 2020, narrated an educational video for an organization supporting those changes.