The newest story in the ‘Power’ universe, ‘Power Book IV: Force’, is finally here and carries forward the story of the ultra violent drug dealer Tommy Egan as he leaves New York and heads to Chicago to create more chaos.
The first ever show in the long-running line-up was ‘Power’, which was created by Courtney A Kemp and ran from 2014 until 2020 for six seasons. It famously starred ‘In Da Club’ rapper Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson — also a co-creator — as Kanan Stark, and the show’s immense popularity led to three spin-offs being created.
The newest one, out now on Starzplay, sees Joseph Sikora reprise his ‘Power’ role as Egan, and according to executive producer 50 Cent it’s the show’s graphic nature that has kept it relevant.
“The ‘Power’ franchise... it’s exciting, it’s graphic, it’s in your face sometimes,” 50 Cent said in a roundtable interview with Gulf News. “It can walk the line of what people will say was a little more edgier than they thought it was. That’s describing 50 Cent — that’s who I am, so I’m proper representation of the project at the same time. It’s not finding a new audience, it’s finding my core audience.”
The spin-off comes after ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ and ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’, all of which 50 Cent executive produced and he isn’t too shy about stating his hand in a show that so many people have loved and followed.
“There was never a cohesive marketing campaign for the show. Every season, we were using a different PR team. The only thing that was consistent with it was me talking about the show, and me being in full on support of it. So this is why when you think ‘Power’, you think 50 Cent. And it’s because it was a pet project, a passion project,” he said.
Find out more about the ‘Power Book IV: Force’ from two of the actors — Tommy Flanagan who plays Walter Flynn and Gabrielle Ryan as Gloria.
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Meet the stars of‘Power Book IV: Force’
Scottish actor Tommy Flanagan enters the ‘Power’ universe to play Walter Flynn, the head of the Irish crime family in Chicago. Flanagan has starred in various projects over the years, such as Hollywood movies ‘Face/Off’, ‘Gladiator’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2’. However, it was his role in the crime drama ‘Sons of Anarchy’ that shot him to mainstream fame.
In the past, Flanagan has been candid about the facial scars he sustained in a knife attack over two decades ago, and how they’ve helped him sustain a stereotypical bad boy image. In an interview with Gulf News, Flanagan talks about relishing being the villain.
In your career, you’ve played roles that are rough around the edges. How do your older roles compare to your new one, Walter Flynn?
He’s just a lovely fella. He’s just a well-dressed hoodlum, a very wealthy well-dressed crazy guy. He’s a fun character to play.
Tell me a bit more about the role and how it fits into the ‘Power’ franchise.
Well, Tommy Egan comes to Chicago, which is Walter’s town and high jinks and few shenanigans go on. I’m not too happy about that because Tommy Egan isn’t exactly a subtle character. So he comes barrelling into Chicago and we kinda clash heads.
What was it like working with 50 Cent? Did you interact with him much on the show?
Most of the show was in a bubble because of COVID... 50 popped in a couple of times, but not as much as I’d have like [for] obvious reasons. But yeah, I FaceTimed with him a couple of times with Joseph. [He’s] very cool.
Do you think people enjoy the series format more in terms of seeing a storyline stretched out over a long period of time?
Seems to be that way doesn’t it? The whole streaming thing is taken over. The story we have is pretty fantastic so I’m sure people want to tune in and follow this little journey.
Yeah, the series has done well with audiences. What do you think draws people to a show like ‘Power’?
It’s the truth behind some of the storylines and it’s kind of based in some sort of reality or someone’s life. The characters are so engaging... like Tommy Egan’s character. He’s ruthless and deadly and all that stuff, but there’s something so [expletive] lovable about the guy.
You’ve played the bad guy pretty consistently over the years? What draws you to such roles?
Money! [Laughs] It’s fun for me to play those kinds of roles... I’ve kind of experienced a few things in my life... it’s very interesting to play some characters that may have came across in the past and then put them up there on the screen.
One of the shows that has been a defining moment in your career has been ‘Sons of Anarchy’. What are some of your biggest memories from that time?
Biggest memory from ‘Sons of Anarchy’ is getting up at 5am in the morning, jumping on my bike and riding to whatever location through California — see the sun rise and finish your night, and then ride by bike home in the evenings with the boys, seeing the sun going down. That’s kind of my favourite memories... the off-screen stuff was a lot of fun. I’ve still got a lot of friends from that show.
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British actress Gabrielle Ryan can’t quite believe her luck. She has gone from fan of the ‘Power’ series to being one of the main characters in the spin-off.
The actress, who has made a name for herself in comedy shows such as ‘Portia’ and Netflix series ‘Bonding’, ventures into darker territory with ‘Power Book IV: Force’ as she plays Gloria, a razor-sharp former Marine who works as a cook in a bar. She meets Tommy Egan and maybe some sparks fly between them.
What drew you to the ‘Power’ universe?
I was a huge fan of ‘Power’ initially. I watched all six seasons. What 50 Cent and Connie Kemp [producer by Courtney A Kemp] created was just a cultural phenomenon. I was desperate to be on the original series. And I was always bugging my agent about getting an audition. That never happened and thank God it didn’t happen. Because now I’m on the Tommy spin-off and Tommy was always my favourite character.
What can you tell me about your role as Gloria?
So Gloria is definitely an amazing character to play. I think it would be fair to say that Gloria and Tommy become very fast friends. When we first meet Gloria, she’s running her bar in Chicago. She has dreams of owning her own restaurant. She’s Jamaican American [and] that’s been a dream of hers. She has an on-off boyfriend, Vic, and when we meet her she’s off with him. But the complicated part of the relationship is that the Flynn family, which is Vic’s family, own the bar that she works in... But yeah, Gloria was so awesome to play. She’s way cooler than I am.
How did it feel entering such a well-known franchise?
It was so exciting. I cannot tell you... the audition process was seven weeks so the anticipation was built up so heavily. And then I chemistry tested with Joseph — it was surreal being on the chemistry test... It didn’t feel pressure because I just felt like I knew the world so well. And I was such a big fan of Tommy that it was an honour to be involved in such a huge franchise.
Did you get to interact with 50 Cent and how do you feel about his vision for the show?
So 50 Cent, I tell him often — I’m like, ‘You changed my life’. I heard that he was very instrumental in the casting process, which is just so flattering to hear. We actually had a cast dinner quite early on. He came to visit us really early on on set and it happened to be my birthday. So I felt like 50 Cent was literally throwing me a birthday party. So no birthday after that is ever going to compete. He’s just such a lovely person and he’s so giving with advice... He’s so inspirational... it’s just wild that I get to call 50 Cent my boss.
You’ve done some comedy in the past. Is there a particular genre that you feel you thrive in?
What’s quite funny about the comedy stuff that I’ve done is I never thought I was funny. And then when I came to America they found me really funny... I think it’s because I didn’t really understand the American humour at first. So I was just saying it very straight, like how I would as a Brit... I love drama, I love comedy. I love being challenged and expanding as an actor.
Don’t miss it!
‘Power Book IV: Force’ is currently streaming on Starzplay.
FAQs
What is 50 cents involvement in Power? ›
50 Cent is a very hands-on executive producer.
50 Cent doesn't just appear as an actor in Power, he is also the show's executive producer. The rapper is reportedly a very “hands on” producer. He uses personal experiences from his own life to help the show and his own character Kanan.
Fif's issues with Starz have been public for quite some time, as the mogul has lashed out at the network on numerous occasions. In March 2022, he threatened to remove BMF and all of the shows in the Power universe from the network due to his displeasure with behind the scenes dealings.
Is 50 Cent going to leave Power? ›Jackson announced he was leaving Starz, which co-produced his Power franchise, in September 2022. Jackson is bringing all of these new series via his production company G-Unit Film & Television.
What is the show Power based on? ›The Power is based on Naomi Alderman's 2016 novel of the same name. Interestingly enough, Naomi actually worked on developing the series for Amazon alongside Raelle Tucker and Sarah Quintrell so you can expect many elements of the original iteration of the story to be properly reflected on the small screen as well.
Is BMF connected to Power? ›With four Power series under his belt, BMF, and more shows on the way, he built a TV empire the same way he built his rap career: with drive, talent, and a time-tested belief in the power of trolling.
Who owns the Power franchise? ›Curtis Jackson “50 Cent” inked a four-year deal with Starz that was reportedly worth up to $150 million. In a meeting with Chris Albrecht, the CEO of Starz, “he let me know I was essentially requesting the biggest deal in premium cable history,” Jackson said.
Is 50 Cent a billionaire? ›Apr 17, 2023. According to 50 Cent, he has been a billionaire since 2007. However, he notes the “public perception” would say otherwise. On “The Enthusiast” podcast, 50 Cent elaborates on his declaration by noting everyone around him is compensated and he can purchase what he pleases.
How much does 50 Cent make per show? ›50 Cent hasn't released a studio album since 2014, but that doesn't stop the "In Da Club" rapper from commanding big money to perform live. "I'm getting like $900,000, $1 million," the 47-year-old star told Billboard recently.
How much did 50 Cent make off vitamin water? ›50 Cent Made An Estimated $100M From His Vitaminwater Deal — And It Paved The Way For Artists Like Flo Rida. Shanique Yates. Jan 20, 2023. 50 Cent's famous Vitaminwater deal changed the course of Hip-Hop partnerships forever, and it continues to be the blueprint for artists today.
Why did Power stop airing? ›
Production on the popular Starz drama shut down after an on set accident left a production assistant dead. Filming on the hit Starz drama, Power, has come to a halt after the accidental death of a production assistant.
Which Power got cancelled? ›Power Book V: Influence: Cancelled; Starz Spin-Off Series Not Moving Forward - IMDb. The Power series was a big hit for Starz and the spin-offs have also performed very well for the cable channel.
Is the power true story? ›'Power' Is Fictional, But It's Also 50 Cent's Real Life.
Who is the homeless actor on Power? ›(born September 22, 2000) is an American actor best known for the role of Tariq St. Patrick on Power and Power Book II: Ghost.
Is Raising Kanan based on Power? ›Raising Kanan is a prequel series that follows Kanan Stark (the character played by 50 Cent in the original Power) during his teenage years in the 90s. Kanan was the rival and former friend of Ghost, the main character of the original Power series.
Who is the first lady of BMF? ›Welch finally sets the record straight and tells Her-story, the TRUE history of why federal authorities in their indictment labeled Tonesa “The First Lady of BMF!” (Currently, key aspects of her life make up the main storyline in Season 2 of the hit Starz series BMF, with LaLa Anthony's character MarKaisha Taylor ...
Who owns the BMF name? ›The Black Mafia Family under Demetrius Flenory entered the hip-hop music business as BMF Entertainment in the early 2000s as a front organization to launder money from cocaine sales and to legitimize itself.
What in BMF is true? ›The names and events are non-fictionalized for authentic purposes. This is the story of the Black Mafia Family. The Black Mafia Family was founded by the street-smart, widely ambitious, and braggadocious Detroit-raised brothers Demetrius and Terry Flenory, better known as Big Meech and Southwest T, in 1989.
What is the 50th Law of Power by 50 Cent? ›In The 50th Law, hip hop and pop culture icon 50 Cent (aka Curtis Jackson) joins forces with Robert Greene, bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power, to write a “bible” for success in life and work based on a single principle: fear nothing.
Is 50 Cent the producer of Power Book 2? ›What is this? Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson will executive produce through his G-Unit Film & Television along with Francis Hopkinson (Wallander, Bancroft) and Katharine Leadbetter (Woman in White, Catherine the Great) of Expanded Media who will also produce Fightland for Starz.