By Mallory Mattingly
XENO star Omari Hardwick approaches life and his career with a God-first mentality.
“Within this industry, more specifically, it allowed me to unapologetically play what is considered on paper to be, or I guess, for lack of a better word, bad guys,” Hardwick told Movieguide®’s Kaelii Williams of being a “child of God” impacts his career.
He’s grateful for how the Bible informs his ability to play characters who are less than perfect.
“Being a child of God has sort of allowed you cool opportunities to play characters that are in the Bible,” he explained. “… But for me, being a believer in Jesus Christ, I think I’ve always looked at characters within the Bible who were on a journey and found them more interesting. Saul, transforming in Paul, and David, trying to figure it out after some mistakes.”
“I think that’s always been a penchant of mine is to draw towards those characters and from that you get some pretty fractured characters that I don’t mind taking on,” Hardwick added.
“I think that is perhaps my approach in life,” he continued. “Recently, I’ve been on a forgiveness tour, and obviously, first and foremost, asking God to forgive me for my wrongdoing, sins, everything under the sun that I’ve done wrong. And then we gotta forgive ourselves, ’cause you can’t forgive anybody [if] you don’t forgive yourself. And there’s a whole bunch of people walking around who are pretty narcissistic and love to grab a finger and point it the opposite direction from thine self. And so I think it’s aided me at remaining pretty humble and feet on the ground.”
XENO follows Renee Rowan, a teenage girl who stumbles across an alien who crash-landed in the desert near where she lives.
“…she discovers that it’s not the kind of extraterrestrial she expected — it’s powerful, unpredictable, and on the run. As government agents close in, she must protect her new otherworldly friend while uncovering a secret that could change the fate of both their worlds,” a synopsis of the film reads. “Packed with action, heart, and humor, XENO is a thrilling and heartfelt adventure in the spirit of E.T. and THE IRON GIANT, proving that the strongest bonds can be formed in the most unexpected places.”
Hardwick plays Jonathan Keyes, a government agent who closes in on Renee and her new alien friend, in XENO.
Lulu Wilson, who plays Renee, described XENO with the words “connection, adventure and outsiders.”
Movieguide® said XENO “tells a heartfelt, exciting story promoting kindness. It’s a simple story in the vein of classics like ET. The effects are masterfully done and believable. Eventually, Renee realizes that having a kind heart like her father is everything.”
However, due to “foul language, scary violence, a dysfunctional home life, chronic drunkenness, and intentional injury to a teenager,” Movieguide® advises caution.
XENO released in theaters on Sept. 19.
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