*Michael Rainey Jr., celebrated for his role as Tariq St. Patrick in “Power” and its spin-offs, is expanding his horizons beyond the screen.
At just 8 years old, he was scouted by a woman named Gina while walking with his mother in New York. “A lady named Gina she saw me and my mom walking, and I don’t know what in her mind made her think that I would be a good look on screen, but I guess she wasn’t wrong when she took that chance,” Rainey recalls in a new interview with Revolt. This chance encounter led to auditions, photoshoots, and a career that now spans acting and fashion.
Rainey’s creative pursuits extend to his boohooMAN collection, a ‘70s-inspired line featuring knits, corduroy, and faux leather that mirrors his personal style. “To be honest, it just looks fun. You know? Like, it looks super fun from the photo shoots to even having just creative direction, working with certain brands, and getting to create your vision and bring your vision to life,” he says about his foray into fashion. He’s also eyeing modeling goals, particularly a GQ feature and runway appearances, though he admits, “I’ll probably be overthinking my walk or something.”
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His fashion influences are eclectic, drawing from icons like Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, and New York staples such as Jim Jones and Bloody Osiris. “It was at least a three-year run where I thought I was Michael Jackson, dancing like him, listening to all the music. I was searching for that one ‘Thriller’ jacket for the longest. I still haven’t found it,” he shares. These inspirations shape his bold, nostalgic style.
In acting, Rainey seeks diverse roles, moving away from the “dark sociopath” characters he’s known for. “I’m really excited to just tackle things that are very different from what I’ve been doing. So, obviously more action. The super action type stuff, not just like shootouts and fights and all that, but like, real action, like crane shots, all type of crazy stuff like that,” he explains.
He dreams of collaborating with Spike Lee and his top five actors: Morgan Freeman, Laurence Fishburne, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson.
“There’s a lot of things that people really wouldn’t expect from me unless they really are in tune with me and really follow me on my day to day. There’s a lot of things I wanna do and put out there and show the world,” Rainey says.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Michael Rainey Jr. Discusses Explosive Season 4 Finale of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ | EUR Video Exclusive
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