|
There's
more to Omar Epps' appeal than a cute face and
hardcore roles -- he's got a brain and loves to
exercise it.
Omar
Epps' A+ Academic Attitude
by Feona Sharhran
Huff
August 2001
The CollegeBound Network NewsClick --
I've interviewed a lot of actors in my journalistic
day, but I've gotta' admit that my recent interview
with Omar Epps, co-star in the flick Brother
(now in theaters), was by far one of my most inspirational,
enlightening,
and educational experiences to date. I was sold
on Omar's intense passion and love for the arts
as well as his impeccable and smooth method of
drawing fans (like me) to support whatever character
he plays.
What
also impressed me about the 28-year-old actor
was that in the 15 minutes I was allotted to interview
him, I got him to dish on how he was the ultimate
'school boy' in high school! Omar loves learning
and isn't afraid to flex his brain power.
"I was a good student,"
reveals the Performing Arts High School alumnus
(he's a New York-native). He
also admits that he was a little arrogant when
it came to his smarts -- with good reason, of
course.
"My mother was an educator,
so I was reading lesson plan books she brought
home," he explains with laughter. "I
would sit in class like -- '[the teachers] are
teaching the class wrong.' I wouldn't even be
interested in what they were teaching at times."
Omar's mild case of 'educational'
cockiness, however, didn't go too far to his head.
That's because he understood the need for what
he was learning. In
fact, Omar says, he was able to apply much of
his classroom knowledge to his acting career right
from the start.
Six plus films later, Omar continues to illustrate
how having an education and utilizing school skills
can take one's career to greater heights. "I'm
an achiever," Omar shares with confidence.
"I believed that wherever I would be in life,
I was going to excel."
Omar feels certain that aspiring actors can feel
and be the same way, too. However, he suggests,
it's going to take some deep thought to get to
this point.
"Whenever I talk to [young people] and they
tell me they want to be an actor, I ask them,
'What do you see yourself doing?'" Omar says.
After he gets an answer, he encourages budding
movie stars to do the following:
Be receptive. "Know that you're an
instrument and a reflection of the world."
Explore. Omar says you've got to be willing
to see where your talents lie, and the only way
you can do that is by trying out different things.
See yourself doing it. "Whatever
you see yourself doing, that's how you're going
to get there."
... Pretty good advice for any aspiration! Thanks,
Omar.
|
