Actor Omari Hardwick continues to share his grievances in regards to the unexpected and controversial ending of his character, James “Ghost” St. Patrick, on the favored Starz series Power. During a recent panel discussion on the Uninterrupted Film Festival, he criticized Courtney A. Kemp, Starz executives, and 50 Cent for selling him and the show’s fans a dream.

On July 10, on the Uninterrupted Film Festival (supported by the Tribeca Film Festival) in Los Angeles, Hardwick was joined by former NBA player Matt Barnes and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young when asked in regards to the death of his character “Power.” In a clip posted by @PowerIsFire on Instagram, Hardwick told his panelists, “If I ain’t dead, that means I’m still working, right? And my damn checks don’t have ‘Power’ on them anymore.”

Hardwick stated that he spoke to several fans and shared their opinion that the unique ending of Power didn’t do justice to his role or the general storyline of the show.

According to Hardwick, Ghost was portrayed as a drug dealer who was trying to discover his identity as a legitimate businessman and politician.

However, because the series progressed, the storyline took a different turn, increasingly involving Ghost in criminal activity, culminating in his death by the hands of his own son, Tariq. This unexpected twist not only shocked fans but in addition left Hardwick feeling betrayed by the show’s creative direction.

“I have so much sympathy for the fans, bro,” he said within the clip. “Because you were sold and told a story that didn’t have a sequel, guys, the way it was sold and I was told it would continue. So you have every right to pick on me at every airport, at every bus stop…”

Hardwick continued his rant, naming the large shots behind “Power.” “I know you have to ask me this. Sometimes I think, ‘Oh fuck, is Courtney answering these questions today? Is it the executives at Starz or is it Curtis answering these questions?’ And honestly, I feel like I’m the only one answering these questions.”

The former “Power” star then modified the topic of the conversation, returning to the difficulty of empathy for fans.

“I’m with you all in that sense,” Hardwick said. “I’m with you in that sense, the way this story was sold and told to me doesn’t match the way it ended, guys. So you have every right to say, ‘That didn’t end well.’”

He added: “And because we don’t respect the fans enough, and I know Matt and Trae are different. We respect all of you. We respect our fans, man. We often forget that the fans are sold and told a story that has an origin story and it has to end the way it was sold and told.”

Hardwick laid out his feelings for the conference attendees in nearly three minutes, then referred to the crime drama, which ran for six seasons, as “art” worthy of being seen as a museum exhibit.

“If it had ended the way we started the show, I think you would have been incredibly happy with the art, the beautiful, bloody beautiful art that the show was,” Hardwick said. “It should be in museums. You should be able to talk about the show forever.”

Hardwick also highlighted the emotional attachment fans have to Ghost, but admitted that he also loves the character and encouraged them to proceed supporting his journey.

“He was everybody’s uncle. Whether it was Jamie or Ghost, he was everybody’s uncle who, more importantly, tried to change his behavior from wrong to right. And I loved him and I will always love him. But I want the fans to always remember that I played that guy. I’m a little bigger than him. So it’s better to follow me than the character,” he concluded.

The discussion revived a conversation Hardwick initiated earlier this yr during which he criticized “Power” creator Courtney Kemp and producer 50 Cent for deviating from the unique character outline he was promised.

After learning of Hardwick’s latest statement, 50 Cent took to social media to address the favored video.

IN fasting which quickly went viral, 50 Cent disputed Hardwick’s complaints, writing together with a clip of the panel, “That (ninja emoji) is a weird bird (bird emoji). What the fuck is he talking about, (raised eyebrow emoji) I never did anything but take care of him. If he needed something, I gave it to him. Now I realize that sh—t didn’t matter.”

👀That’s a weird bird 🦜 that he’s fucking talking about,🤨I never did anything but care for him. If he needed something, I gave it to him. Now I understand, none of that shit mattered. https://t.co/jnbpt4Vpb3 photo: twitter.com/hiFemKHuoN

— 50cent (@50cent) July 13, 2024

After listening to the clip, one Instagram commenter wrote, “Man I usually stay away from this kind of stuff but I haven’t seen him anywhere else since. You have to take advantage of the opportunity to put yourself in other situations. 150k a week is good money to me, especially in the times we live in. I’m not saying he’s not worth more or less. But you can’t shit on people who give you a chance.”

Hardwick’s manager Two Lewis was one in all the primary to comment on the “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” artist’s post, saying, “He didn’t say that, you’re making headlines out of something.”

50 Cent has since deleted his Instagram post. However, his Twitter post still exists.

Shadow Room published clip and commentary by 50, allowing his fans to voice their opinions. Surprisingly, many fans sided with Hardwick and criticized 50 for extending the comments.

“50 is an exaggeration if that’s all he said,” one fan said.

Another added: “Two things could be true. Ghost created POWER and I wouldn’t want to get on 50 cents BAD SIDE‼️”

“Omari made the entire network relevant,” one person wrote. “No one, especially minorities, thought to subscribe to Starz before his character…let him talk all he wants.”

“He’s not shitting on you 50. He just didn’t want to get killed. And no one else wanted him to get killed,” a fourth comment explained.

Many comments asked that 50 and the opposite show creators quickly write Ghost back into the story in order that they could honorably end his series before it ends.

In 2023, the actor said he was “asked… to come back,” but he and the team couldn’t agree on his salary.

“Power” debuted in 2014 to critical acclaim, drawing viewers into the complicated lifetime of Ghost, his family and his highschool sweetheart.

Hardwick, who brought Ghost to life on screen, was particularly pleased with the character’s multifaceted portrayal, reflecting the struggles and aspirations of many black men in America. But because the show approached its sixth season, each Hardwick and fans began to express concerns in regards to the character’s decisions and the storyline.

In a May 2024 Rolling Out article, Hardwick expressed his dissatisfaction with the alternatives forced upon Ghost and the character’s ultimate demise. (*50*) he lamented. “Ghost died alone. N—ga died on the floor. On a cold floor. That hurt me. That’s not good.”

He also criticized the message the ending sends to the black community, saying nobody ought to be pleased with the statement.