It’s no secret fans really wanted Tariq St. Patrick, Ghost’s trouble-making son, on Power to get the axe. But the joke is on all of us because now the meddling teen is getting his own Starz spin-off, Power Book II: Ghost, premiering Sunday.
Michael Rainey, the actor behind the younger St. Patrick, told ESSENCE earlier this summer that fans might be on his side this time around.
“They[‘ll] get to see more of the reasoning behind all of his actions,” the actor said. “Before, some of the reasoning was pretty obvious: Dad left the family. Kid is bound to act out, but I’m definitely excited for people to see the new Tariq.”
Rainey said his often trouble-bound character, in this new show, was “forced to grow up and be a man at a young age” after the death of his father at his own hand.
But because Ghost (Omari Hardwick) outsmarted his son, by writing in his will that he’d only receive his inheritance after graduating from a four-year college, Tariq now has to “focus on getting on money for mommy (Naturi Naughton) so he’s in the streets.”
Naughton, who’s reprising her role as Tasha St. Patrick, admitted to ESSENCE that it was different not having her leading man on set with her.
“It definitely shifted things, but the energy has always been good,” she explained. “What we’ve done is tried to create a family atmosphere so even when people die…it’s [not as] hard.”
“Michael Rainey stepped up as Tariq and we built him and helped support him in this journey,” Naughton added.
Power Book 11: Ghost premieres Sunday on Starz.