Michael Jai White Explains Why He Turned Down Role Of Ghost In 50 Cent’s ‘Power’

Michael Jai White was originally offered the role of Ghost in 50 Cent‘s Power universe, but due to a scheduling conflict, Omari Hardwick ended up getting the role.

White attempted to play coy in his interview with VladTV on Tuesday (December 27) but the actor eventually admitted there was more to the rumors connecting him to the STARZ series.

“That’s something that I’ve heard from producers… Yeah, I’ve heard this. I don’t know how much truth there is to it,” he said at first. “There had been an offer — some things get offered to you but you have to be available to do it.”

MJW explained that he had committed to working on a Tyler Perry television show around the same time that Power — which debuted in 2014 — was looking to film.

White confirmed he wasn’t able to pull off both obligations but was very supportive of Hardwick in the role. “Omari’s a friend,” he said. “Yeah, he was outstanding in that series.”

Check out Michael Jai White’s VladTV interview below:

Hardwick played the role of James “Ghost” St. Patrick for six seasons of Power from 2014 until his demise in 2020’s Season 6. A spin-off later arrived in the form of Power Book II: Ghost, led by Ghost’s son, Tariq, who is played by Michael Rainey Jr. A third season is scheduled to arrive in March 2023.

In a 2016 interview with TheGrio, Hardwick revealed he wasn’t convinced about the role until speaking with 50 Cent for two hours about embracing Ghost, followed by another 10-minute conversation with director Courtney Kemp which sealed the deal.

50 Cent opened up about his strong belief that Omari was the only man for the job of James St. Patrick to the point he admitted in his 2020 Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter book that he ran down Hardwick after a weak reading audition for the part to convince him that he needed this role for his career.

Elsewhere in the Power universe, fans can expect Power Book III: Raising Kanan and Power Book IV: Force to return in 2023.

Meanwhile, 50 Cent was recently threatened with legal action over his Hip Hop Homicides TV series, which investigates the staggering number of murders in rap.

In Thursday’s episode of the WE tv show, Memo600, the OTF affiliated rapper signed to Wack 100, was reportedly flagged as being a potential suspect in the murder of Chicago rapper FBG Duck who was shot and killed in his hometown on August 4, 2020 — which he wasn’t happy about.

“@50Cent IM SUING YOU FOR DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER,” Memo wrote on social media, denying any involvement in Duck’s death. “I DONT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT SOMEBODY BETTER EXPLAIN SOMETHING U PAID THE WRONG INVERTIGATORS [sic] DONT PUT ME IN NO MURDERS FAM CHASING CLOUT!!”