For his role on HOUSE, Omar Epps won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in both 2007 and 2008 and received nominations in the same category in 2005 and 2006.
Epps also was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Best Actor for the original cable movie “Conviction,” in which he portrayed “Carl Upchurch,” a hardened criminal from South Philadelphia who spent most of his adult life in prison. He formed a production company, Brooklyn Works Films, which is producing the films “Love Can’t Hide” and “Serenity Falls,” and is in development on the film “The Other Side of the Truth.” Epps is serving as writer, producer and star of these films.
He has starred in two original cable movies based on true stories: “First Time Felon,” directed by Charles “Roc” Dutton, in which he played a streetwise drug dealer and gang member in Chicago; and “Deadly Voyage,” produced by Danny Glover, in which he portrayed “Kingsley Ofusu,” the sole survivor of a group of nine African stowaways who fled Ghana on a Ukrainian cargo ship.
Epps also played “Dr. Dennis Gant” on the Emmy Award-winning drama “ER.” In one of the most talked-about series departures, Epps left audiences wondering whether his character had committed suicide.
His film credits include lead roles in “Against the Ropes” opposite Meg Ryan, “Alfie” opposite Jude Law and Susan Sarandon, “The Wood,” “In Too Deep,” John Singleton’s “Higher Learning,” “Juice” and “Daybreak.” Supporting roles include “Breakfast of Champions” opposite Bruce Willis and Nick Nolte, “Major League II” opposite Charlie Sheen and “The Program” with Craig Sheffer. He also was seen in “Scream 2,” the film version of the television series “The Mod Squad” with Claire Danes, “DK2,” “Love & Basketball” and Takeshi Kitano’s “Brother.” Epps also appeared in Barry Sonnenfeld’s “Big Trouble.”
Epps lives in Los Angeles.