Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with 3022’s Omar Epps

Omar Epps has done just about everything in his three-decade career. From playing a doctor on television to a prize-winning fighter on the silver screen, Omar continues to impress with his ability to breathe life into any character across many different genres. With the release of 3022, Omar is showing off another side of his versatility, making his first venture into the world of sci-fi. Pop Culturalist caught up with Omar to chat about 3022.

PC: Tell us about 3022 and your character.
Omar: 3022 is a sci-fi film about a group of astronauts who are on a mission in space. When they look in their rearview, something catastrophic has happened on earth. My character, John Laine, is the captain of this unit. He’s trying to figure out what has happened.

PC: You’ve built this illustrious career that spans multiple genres. 3022 is your first big venture into sci-fi. What was it about this particular project that drew you in? Did anything surprise you about the experience?
Omar: The script and story are what drew me in. It’s so elegant and deep in a way that interested me creatively. It’s fun to have done a sci-fi now. It wasn’t a huge budget, so we did a lot of things the old-school way. It was a lot of fun. When I saw the film, I was blown away. There wasn’t anything that surprised me about the experience. It’s still filmmaking and storytelling.

PC: Early on in the film, we see the toll that the mission has on your character and the rest of the crew. How did you prepare to tackle your character’s journey?
Omar: It’s half and half. Half of my preparation is my own process. The other half is giving myself away to this character and his unique journey. It’s hard to prepare for something that no human being can wrap their mind around. A lot of what I wanted to do is stay in the gray area and that discomfort so that it would come off as a believable performance.

PC: At the heart of the story is the relationship between John and Jackie, played by Kate Walsh. How did you approach that dynamic?
Omar: I loved working with Kate. One thing that we wanted to do as a cast was make sure our performances were grounded. With a circumstance like this, it can get away from you quickly. We all felt that the more grounded our performances were, the better the emotional journey would be for the audience.

PC: With this being your first sci-fi film, is there a particular scene you’re excited for your fans to see?
Omar: I’m really excited for them to see the second half of the film. My character doesn’t know how long he can actually stay in space, and he’s trying to keep a hold of his sanity.

PC: What do you hope audiences walk away with?
Omar: I hope people are invested emotionally with these characters and enjoy the film. We’re presenting universal scenarios that any human being would think about. What if this? What if that? When it comes to connectivity, love, family, I think there’s something for everyone.

To keep up with Omar, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Catch 3022 in theaters and on VOD.