Acting Bad | Omarion Interview
by Adell Henderson, BET.com Contributing Writer
Posted Oct. 3, 2007 - With a recently released CD and a new film on the way, it appears as if Omarion has successfully made the transition from a member of a successful group to a flourishing solo career. His latest film, "Feel the Noise," will be in theaters soon and the talented entertainer shared his thoughts with us about his career and working with Jennifer Lopez.
AH: We’re used to seeing you dressed and well groomed, but you got kind of grimey and hardcore for this character you play in Feel The Noise. How did you get involved in the project?
O: My agents they were feeling the script and they said, “Omarion we think you should look at this. It’s something different that you’ve never done. They would be shooting in Puerto Rico and just tell us what you think.” I read it and I felt like it had some great potential. Not just even being a great story but having to step into a new character like Rob and having to rock my hair out in a ponytail and pretty much be Puerto Rican and Black. It was a challenging role.
AH: Yeah, you definitely went against the grain on this one. I’m sure that having "Jenny from the Block" on board as a producer influenced your decision to join the team.
O: Being that Jennifer Lopez was tied to it, I was like, “That’s a no brainer.” I went down to her production company and we just started reading. I read the script and immediately we made it happen. It was something I kinda went out for, got the role and then the movie’s coming out.
AH: Just like that! Although you’re not playing an R&B dude in this flick, you still play a rapper. Does it bother you that since you’re a musician in real life you get offered all these roles to play musicians?
O: As a musician you definitely get approached with the roles that are driven with music. But for me this was different. It was different having to become a rapper. Cause this to me would be the only element that people could really see me where they can be like, “Omarion rapping? Uh, okay. [But] he’s an R&B singer?” But having the element of acting I can kinda get away with it. If I play the part really well, people will be like that’s not Omarion, that’s Rob. That’s the character.
AH: I guess you got a point. It’s also becoming pretty evident that you don’t mind taking on the dramatic roles. Was that a conscious decision?
O: To me it’s an avenue of showing you can really act. Everything is depending on the type of role you have. It’s about dynamics. Like for instance, Jennifer Hudson had the character [in Dreamgirls] that everyone would love but Beyonce still did her thing. So sometimes you gotta take the approach in knowing that whatever it is, I’m gonna give it my all. Me stepping into acting, I like the dramatic side.
AH: So now that you have a few films under your belt is there any question what profession you prefer when it comes to singing or acting?
O: Well I would defiantly say that [with] singing and performing, there’s nothing like it. Man when you hit that stage in front of all these people, it never gets boring. Because music was my first passion, I would say music but it’s a great balance for me. I love acting too because it’s a challenge.
Do you like Omarion better as an actor or a singer? Let us know at "Discuss Now."