NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Social media death threats may have been one of the best things to ever happen for Michael Rainey Jr. 鈥 professionally, that is.
鈥淲hen everything started really going crazy, I was like 17, 18. And at first, I鈥檓 like, 鈥楧ang, people crazy, bro!鈥 I鈥檓 like this is just a show,鈥 said the now-23-year-old 鈥楶ower Book II: Ghost鈥 lead. Whether the threats during the latter part of his tenure on were literal or in jest, it was indicative of the love-hate relationship fans developed with Tariq, the once-adorable son of drug kingpin James 鈥淕host鈥 St. Patrick. Tariq eventually followed in his father's footsteps.
鈥淪hout out to the supporters that reacted because y鈥檃ll helped me build a storyline," said Rainey, "(Writers) see how the supporters react, and if they get a certain reaction, they literally build off of that in the next script.鈥
Those scripts and storylines would premiering in 2020, focusing on Tariq attempting to juggle illegal activity while attending a (fictional) Ivy League school. Viewers' polarized feelings were an indicator that a new 鈥淧ower鈥 series centered around Tariq was viable.
But after three seasons, the show 鈥 consistently one of Starz's highest viewed programs 鈥 will premiere its fourth and final season June 7. While fans and critics have voiced disappointment over the show's end, , Rainey, a car enthusiast who鈥檚 preparing to launch a car-themed episodic YouTube channel, says it took him a while to come to terms with the decision.
鈥淚 feel like there was a few other directions that we could go," he said. 鈥淎t the same time, I feel like they wanted to just end it while people still cared.鈥
The aspiring music producer, who will have a song with wolfacejoeyy premiere on a mid-season episode, spoke with the AP about his future, mentorship from acting veterans and avoiding being typecast. The conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.
AP: What鈥檚 it been like knowing it鈥檚 the final season?
RAINEY: It鈥檚 definitely bittersweet. It鈥檚 been 10-plus years working with these great people. It鈥檚 just like we became family ... Now, it鈥檚 basically over. But at the end of the day, it鈥檚 still 鈥 you know, it鈥檚 a blessing. And I鈥檓 super excited for what鈥檚 to come for everybody 鈥 not just me 鈥 but everyone that was part of the cast.
AP: You鈥檝e led this series since you were 19. Do you feel like you get the respect you deserve as a leading man?
RAINEY: I feel like I do. I mean, I really only care for the respect and the acknowledgment from my crew and cast, and they give that to me ... all the other people on the outside, their opinion about me being a good No. 1 doesn鈥檛 really change anything for me.
AP: It seems like you鈥檝e had a lot of support from veteran actors and co-stars like Larenz Tate and Omari Hardwick. What does that mean to you?
RAINEY: Just having them in my corner and them just looking out for me, rooting for me is crazy. Especially like Larenz ... literally every day he鈥檚 on set, he鈥檚 coming to me with the most encouraging words I鈥檝e ever heard from anybody in my life. He makes me feel like there鈥檚 literally nothing I can鈥檛 do, especially when it comes to the art of acting.
It鈥檚 definitely a blessing to have people like that in your corner because it鈥檚 very rare, especially to meet people that genuinely care about you and your career in this business.
AP: Are you worried about being typecast?
RAINEY: I鈥檓 super excited about stepping into the next chapter and really showcasing that I could be looked at in a way different light than ... just Tariq or a kid that鈥檚 menacing.
I really want to do a rom-com or something where I鈥檓 like a nerd or something, something like completely different than what I鈥檝e been portraying for the past 10 years.
AP: What have you learned from playing Tariq that you鈥檝e been able to apply to your own life?
RAINEY: Don鈥檛 feel too entitled to where you deprive yourself. And I always say this because I feel like a lot of people, especially kids my age or younger, they need to really understand there鈥檚 a million other blessings in the world. Like, you think that this is the only blessing for you and it鈥檚 making you blind to 10,000-million other blessings that are literally waiting for you... That鈥檚 what I learned from 50 (Cent). I take that with me everywhere I go.
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Follow Associated Press entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at: @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.
