Omar Epps

Omar Epps
Epps in September 2008
Born	Omar Hashim Epps (1973-07-20) July 20, 1973 (age 43) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Residence	California
Occupation	Actor, rapper, songwriter, record producer
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Keisha Epps (2006–present)
Children	3

Omar Hashim Epps (born July 20, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. His film roles include Juice, Higher Learning, The Wood, In Too Deep, and Love and Basketball. His television work includes the role of Dr. Dennis Gant on the medical drama series ER, J. Martin Bellamy in Resurrection and Dr. Eric Foreman on the Fox medical drama series House from 2004 to 2012.

Epps was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents divorced during his childhood and he was raised by his mother, Bonnie Maria Epps, an elementary school principal. He lived in several neighborhoods while growing up (Bedford-Stuyvesant, East New York and East Flatbush 90's). Before he started acting, he belonged to a rap group called Wolfpack which he formed with his cousin in 1991. He began writing poetry, short stories and songs at the age of ten and attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

Early in Epps's career, he was most often cast in the roles of troubled teens and/or athletes. He made his feature film debut with rapper Tupac Shakur as the star of cinematographer Ernest Dickerson's directorial film debut Juice. The film is the violent and tragic story of four young men growing up in Harlem.