Home Care In Epps, LA

Actor Omar Epps remembers growing up in a family filled with the arts. His grandmother was an artist, his grandfather was a jazz musician, and his mother was an educator. Epps states his passion as a youngster was writing, long before embarking on a career as a performer.

Though surrounded by the arts, and having a passion for writing, Epps originally saw his career future in athletics.

“I thought I was going to be a running back in the NFL because football was my first love. I used to play for the Brooklyn Skyhawks, but the arts in general were always in the background,” said Epps.

Now, Epps is a nine-time NAACP Image Award winning actor. His list of credits consists of the films “Juice,” “Higher Learning,” “Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice,” “The Wood,” “Higher Learning,” and “Love and Basketball,” and so many more. Some of his television credits include “ER,” “House,” and “This Is Us.”

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Then in 2018, Epps officially added author to his impressive list of accomplishments in entertainment.

His first book, “From Fatherless to Fatherhood” is Epp’s own memoir of his humble beginnings growing up without his father in Brooklyn to becoming a successful Hollywood actor and then himself becoming a father.

Epps recalls it being a cathartic experience and one that required discipline because of the focus it took to complete it.

He says his second book was inspired while he was at a book fair. Epps remembers seeing the impact that one young adult, science fiction author had on a group of young people, and he was astonished by how many kids still read books.

“I went home that night really thinking about that because I had this idea that I’ve been thinking about for like a decade,” recalled Epps. “The light bulb went off as a sign that I needed to activate on this thing and figure it out.”

What Epps would come to figure out was his duology featuring the books, “Nubia: The Awakening,” and “Nubia: The Reckoning.”

It is a coming of age, young adult series with elements of science fiction, fantasy, and Afrofuturism. Written with Epps’s co-author Clarence A. Haynes, the story centers around three teens, the children of refugees from a fallen African utopia, who navigate their brand-new powers in a dystopian New York City.

“I thought to myself, ‘what if love were illegal’ and then was reborn through this 13-year-old kid who he himself was love,” pondered Epps. “That’s what spawned ‘Nubia: The Awakening’ and ‘Nubia: The Reckoning.’”

When speaking about his co-author Haynes, Epps said he always wanted to write the duology with someone who could share their own unique voice and someone who understood the genres that he wanted to explore.

“I’m an ideas guy, so I didn’t know there was a YA, sci-fi, Afrofuturism genre,” said Epps. “There are rules that come with the world-building, so partnering with Clarence, I was really fortunate. He not only got it, but he was also an expert in that space.”

Now coming full circle with an idea that started at a book fair, Epps will be one of the featured authors and ambassadors at the 16^th Annual Leimert Park Village Book Fair on Saturday, November 11, beginning at 11 a.m., inside the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall.

“It’s a beautiful thing and necessary to keep our kids’ reading, it’s an essential part of how we learn. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by when I do these book fairs how many parents come up to me and say my books were a great gateway to getting their child to read,” concluded Epps.

EPPS, La. (KNOE) - On the back roads of Louisiana, you can find some hidden gems. The best ones are the small local restaurants, one of which is the Amazin’ Cajun Grill on LA-17 in Epps.

“They come by here a lot and they look at this place and the food that comes out the window doesn’t look like the building,” said Joel Helias, co-owner of the restaurant.

Owners Joel and Shannon Helias say locals who come to their place say their food is surprising. They moved from a food trailer in Delhi to a permanent spot in Epps four years ago, but know that the menu can change.

“We think that something isn’t selling anymore. And then next week, everybody wants it,” said Helias. “The one that’s up there now is pretty tried and true.”

Many people speed by and miss this amazing place, but Stephen Brown and Tom Smith said they enjoy riding their motorcycles and finding places like this.

“There’s not a single road within 100 miles that we haven’t been down,” said Brown. “First time here and the burger is awesome.”

For some customers, it was their first taste of Louisiana.

Like Jacob Claassen from South Africa working at a local farm.

“Farm a piece of ground down here, so it’s real close and easy to get to. My boss brought me to this place on my first day,” said Claassen.

When he goes back home, Claassen is making sure people know about it.

“Very, very good. I like it. I enjoyed it a lot,” said Claassen.

I asked what it was that kept folks coming back.

“It’s not normal Cajun rice, It’s got a secret ingredient,” Shannon Helias replied.

I had to see what it was all about. Their blackened shrimp and fish with their Cajun rice is amazing and has a great flavor. Whatever that secret is, it works.

Joel and Shannon have considered a fancier place. but they said it just wouldn’t feel the same.

“We don’t really want to, you know, fancy everything up. We love the way it is,” said Helias.

So, if you are ever near Epps, head to the Amazin’ Cajun Grill for a bit of a culinary surprise that will feed your soul.

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Mike Epps will take on the role of Richard Pryor in a forthcoming HBO series.

Mike Epps will get the opportunity to portray Richard Pryor in an HBO series about the Los Angeles Lakers.

As Deadline reported, the show is based on the 2014 book by Jeff Pearlman titled Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s, which documents the “professional and personal lives” of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pat Riley and fellow members of the 1980s Lakers squad who “defined its era both on and off the court.”

Epps will take on the role of Richard Pryor, joining the likes of Carina Conti, who will play then-Lakers choreographer Paula Abdul, Max E. Williams, who is set to portray Lakers super fan Jack Nicholson, and more.

Epps’ newly-announced role as Richard Pryor comes after years news spread that he would be playing the comedian in a biopic that was to be directed by Lee Daniels.

“I met Richard and felt like I was in Oz the whole time,” Epps said in 2014, per Deadline. “It’s hard to describe what he means to me or any stand-up comic. You could say he’s paid the dues for everything we do up there.”

Fans waited patiently for the film to come to life, but it never did. With a desire to pay homage to Pryor, Epps called on Kenya Barris to help in putting the biopic together; the “Black-ish” star later announced that he would serve as director in a Pryor film.

Unfortunately, battles within Pryor’s estate have presented challenges in the film’s production, and Epps doubts that it will be brought to fruition.

“Nobody understood that it wasn’t just me doing Richard Pryor,” he explained in May during an interview on Jeezy’s “Worth a Conversation” talk show. “It was walking into an estate that was confused.”

“I went down a long road with that project man, you know,” Epps added. “It’s been a rollercoaster, man.”

Fortunately, the Next Friday actor will finally be able to portray Pryor though it’s not in the way he might have imagined. “It’s such a great honor to be mention with the legend and this fantastic project,” he wrote on Instagram of his new role.

Check out the post below.

Power Book III: Raising Kanan star Omar Epps has teased the possibility of appearing in NCIS: Los Angeles at some point.

Known for playing Detective Malcolm Howard on the Starz series, the actor spoke upon reuniting with his In Too Deep co-star LL Cool J, who stars in NCIS.

Asked about a potential on-off appearance in the show, Epps told Express: "That's a good question. I don't know! I don't know, we'll see what happens. I always have my hands open wide to the universe, so we'll see."

Related: How to watch Power Raising Kanan online

Raising Kanan recently premiered its second season, with Mekai Curtis returning as the titular lead Kanan Stark.

Speaking to Digital Spy about the series, the actor revealed how he dealt with filming dark scenes on the show.

"At this point, I kind of do a disassociation thing. I think there have definitely been difficult days – whether it be for, you know, the actual hours that we're putting in, whether it be the actual content or concept of what we're shooting," he explained.

Related: Power Book III: Raising Kanan star teases Raq and Lou's relationship breakdown in season 2

"But by the end of the day, I'm so kind of, like, depleted and I've put my all into the work and what's happening I kind of just like, base out."

Curtis added: "I'm ready to go home and let it all go for the day. I don't even remember half the scenes. So I'm sure as I watch it, I'm like: 'Oh, yeah, I remember that. That was a little tough to get through.'"

Power Book III: Raising Kanan season airs on Starz in the US and streaming on Starzplay in the UK.

Get ready to add Patrick Weaver to the list of horror film villains we love to hate. Patrick “Trick” Weaver is the name of the bloodthirsty boogeyman in the new horror film Trick. Hearkening back to the classic horror films of the seventies and eighties, Trick features a vengeful, seemingly superhuman adolescent out to terrorize the folksy denizens of Benton, a small, sleepy, permanently overcast upstate New York town. Luckily, the residents have Detective Mike Denver, played by beloved actor Omar Epps, to (try his damnedest) protect all of them.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Epps do horror. “Dracula” was released in 2000 and “Scream 2” was released all the way back in 1997, but Epps’ performance in “Trick,” shows he is still well-suited for the slasher, horror genre. Denver is the heart and soul of the town and stops at nothing to capture the homicidal maniac who always seems to commit his dastardly deeds around Halloween time each year.

In an interview with the L.A. Sentinel, Epps revealed that he was drawn to the project, which is out in theaters, digital, and VOD October 18th, because he felt it would be a challenge. “This character was a challenge in that I had to keep the character grounded. I mean, we don’t know if what’s happening is supernatural or not. It’s like this surreal circumstance happening, and a man who basically loses himself trying to figure out the puzzle. That was challenging and that really attracted me to the project.”

The original “Friday The 13th,” “Nightmare On Elm Street,” and “The Exorcist” are the classic horror films Epps points to as the ones he enjoys the most. Mainly he says, “Because of the whole mythology around them and because they were similar to my life in some ways. I also went to summer camp so it was that art imitating life aspect.” Laughing at the recollection, he says, “I remember also being out in the woods with my friends at night and saying, ‘Hey what’s that noise?’” As for more contemporary horror films that raise his blood pressure, he looks to “Paranormal Activity” and the “Blair Witch” franchises. “I enjoy those a lot,” he says.

Everything is not what it seems in “Trick,” even by the standards of a classic horror film. In addition to dealing with the theme of fear, it presents the audience with a view of the dynamics of evil not usually seen in movies like these. Says Epps about the script, which was directed by Patrick Lussier (“The Purge”) “Patrick and I,” while we were filming, it got us thinking of how explosive society is right now with certain things happening and being normalized. It led to discussions about what a crazy world it is sometimes.”

In his own life, Epps deals with his existential fears by embracing them. “I’ve found in life,” he says “that victories have come when I harness and accepted that fear and use it as fuel to push me forward.”

The father of three admits that in terms of day-to-day living, what he is afraid of is guns; specifically, the type of weaponry, now too often in the news, used to wield mass destruction on innocent people and children. “The thing that scares me most right now is gun violence in our country. The mass shootings and things of that nature. The school shootings. That’s horrifying and disgusting. It’s something that we as a society as a whole, must figure out. That can’t become normal.”

Epps’ children are the ones who help him get into the spirit of horror movies and Halloween. “My kids are bigger on that stuff than I am so I celebrate it with them. My son is a huge horror fan. He just loves that stuff so we get into it with them. I don’t know yet what he plans on doing this year, but every year is different.”

Epps has wrapped Trick but as usual, stays booked and busy. He is currently prepping to film the highly anticipated Netflix movie, “Fatal Affair” with his Alfie co-star Nia Long, who is also producing the film.

Most recently Epps was seen on the hit NBC drama “This Is Us,” playing the father of a teen dad. Asked what that was like, he replied, “It’s interesting. Mainly we’re trying to tackle that issue in a real way, in an authentic way and in a caring and loving way in terms of adolescent pregnancy.” He also loves the overall message. “I love that the characters so far are a loving and supportive family who deal with life as it comes. That is a great message.”