What role did Michael Rainey Jr. play in Power? Actor sheds light on receiving death threats as a teen

Power star Michael Rainey Jr. recently opened up about how the audience responded to the show. As per the Associated Press, receiving death threats online helped "build a storyline" for his character. The actor, who was only a teenager when he landed a pivotal role in Power told the publication in an interview published on Friday, June 7:

"When everything started really going crazy, I was like 17, 18. And at first, I’m like, ‘Dang, people crazy, bro!’ I’m like this is just a show."

Michael Rainey Jr. played Tariq St. Patrick, the son of James 'Ghost' St. Patrick in Power. Tariq was a recurring character in the first few seasons of the show before he became a main character and even an antagonist by the end of its six seasons. The character also received his own spin-off titled Power Book II: Ghost, which is all set to end its four-season run this year.

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Michael Rainey Jr. played Tariq St. Patrick in Power

Michael Rainey Jr. portrayed Tariq St. Patrick on Starz's hit show, Power, which ran for six seasons from 2014 to 2020. The series follows nightclub owner James "Ghost" St Patrick (Omari Hardwick) who leads a double life as a drug lord. The audience witnesses James navigate through several obstacles as he juggles his work and personal life.

Tariq St. Patrick is the son of James and Tasha St. Patrick. Rainey Jr.'s character is first introduced as a teen who loves his family, and he plays a key role in the series for the first two seasons. The third season sees Tariq becoming one of the series' protagonists, a role he maintains in the fourth season. He is then seen as an anti-hero in the fifth season before he transforms into what some may consider a villain in the final installment.

Tariq St. Patrick eventually follows in his father's footsteps to become a drug kingpin at Stansfield.

After the overwhelming response to the character, a spin-off titled Power Book II: Ghost was announced. It follows Michael Rainey Jr.'s Tariq St. Patrick as he navigates through college and his responsibilities as a drug lord.

The spin-off, which premiered in 2020, is all set to come to an end after a four-season run in October 2024. The first part of the final season premiered on Starz on Friday, June 7.

There are two other ongoing spin-offs of Power that focus on a plethora of other characters titled Power Book III: Raising Kanan and Power Book IV: Force.

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Michael Rainey Jr. speaks about the audience's reaction to Tariq St. Patrick

During a recent interview with the Associated Press, the actor opened up about the social media death threats he received due to his character in Power and how it worked to his advantage. The actor recalled thinking that people were "crazy" when they displayed such strong emotions over what he said was "just a show" when he was around 17, or 18 years old.

While it is unknown if the threats he received were made in jest or if they were serious, Michael Rainey Jr. gave a "shout out to the supporters" as they helped the actor "build a storyline" with his character. This in turn laid the foundation for his very own spin-off.

"(Writers) see how the supporters react, and if they get a certain reaction, they literally build off of that in the next script," the actor explained.

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Regarding the sudden conclusion of Power Book II: Ghost, Michael Rainey Jr. shared that while he believed there were a "few other directions" in which the show could have gone, he felt like the showrunners wanted to end the series while "people still cared" about it.

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Power Book II: Ghost is currently streaming on Starz.