Omari Hardwick

Born “Omari Latif Hardwick,” he grew up in Decatur, Georgia. Hardwick’s parents gave him a name to set a precedent, “Omari” meaning “most high,” and “Latif” meaning “gentle.” He shares, “I in no way believe that I am the highest or most high, but I feel like my name gives me something to strive for.” Growing up, sports were Hardwick’s world, but early on he knew he had a passion for the arts. By the age of 14, Hardwick was writing poetry on a regular basis, a passion he would carry with him into adulthood. In high school, he excelled at basketball, baseball, and football, and went on to play football at the University of Georgia. Although a star on the field, Hardwick never gave up his passion for acting, and minored in theatre in college. He shares, “I hugely attribute sports to my success in entertainment business. Being on the field taught me dedication and discipline – I already came from a strict household when I was growing up, sports just took that to another level. Whenever I approach a set, I always feel as though the cast, crew, director, are all part of a team. I have always married athletics and art, two huge parts of my life.”

After graduation, Hardwick relocated to San Diego for a spot on the San Diego Chargers (NFL) however a knee injury cut his football career short. He decided to revisit his original passion for acting, and moved to New York to study his craft more extensively. In New York, Hardwick studied off Broadway until 2000, when he made the move to Los Angeles. As a struggling actor, he worked odd jobs to pay for acting classes, however the security gigs and substitute teaching at times were not enough to make ends meet, and at one point he lived out of his car. Hardwick shares, “what is so crazy, is that where I presently shoot my series ‘Dark Blue,’ is where I lived in my car when I first moved to Los Angeles. It is surreal at times.”

The Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network, is a multi-faceted, after-school spoken word poetry program available free to students actively attending Broward County public high schools, middle schools and select elementary schools.

One of the Jason Taylor Foundation’s newest programs, the Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Corner, is a comprehensive, after-school spoken word poetry program for middle school and high school students, established in October 2011 at the Jason Taylor Reading Room in Miramar.

The Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network radio show aired Monday, November 11, 2013. If you weren’t able to tune in, be sure to check it out! The radio show will air every Monday on WKPX 88.5 from 5 to 6PM!