Michael Rainey Jr.: From Rising Star to Leading Light

Michael Rainey Jr. didn’t begin his acting career in the series Power but it was the project that propelled his career to the top. He is one of the most sought-after Black actors in the industry His performance in his role in the television series Power garnered both praise and criticism but he did deliver to the best of his capabilities.

Michael became the most prominent actor in the spin-off of the Power series titled “Power Book 2”. The movie series narrates the story of how he continues to navigate and fight the evils of the criminal underworld. Aside from the Power Book 2, Rainey Jr. has starred in movies like “The Butler”, directed and produced by Lee Daniels, and the Netflix movie, “Luv”. Michael has since ventured into several other projects after “Power”, and these are highlighted below.

Many people were unaware that Michael Rainey Jr. was featured in the 2016 movie, “Barbershop: The Next Cut”, where he was “Ice Cube’s” son who happened to be a struggling barber. He was also featured in the TV series “Orange is the New Black” which ran from 2013 to 2015 and lasted 7 episodes. In 2014, Rainey Jr. starred in the movie “Second Chance Christmas”.

Since his successful debut in “Ghost” and “Ghost: Power Book 2”, Michael has been involved in several other movie projects. He starred in the 2020 movie, “211” where he worked with other popular stars like Cory Hardrict and Nicolas Cage. In the movie, Michael is a teenager who accidentally gets caught up in a bank robbery. Michael has been spotted on some red carpet and fashion shows, and he successfully showcased his fashion choices.

One of the major projects Michael Rainey Jr. is working on is his memoir where he chronicles his rise to fame and how he has captured the minds of movie producers and watchers worldwide. In the memoir, Michael highlights his numerous community projects and how he has given back to the less privileged. He also showcased his partnership with non-profit organizations across the country especially those that target the homeless.

In addition to working on his memoir, Michael Rainey Jr. has been involved in several new projects. He has entered into a collaboration with Gianni Paolo to launch an entertainment outfit “Twenty-Two Entertainment”. The company is privately funded and will produce movies, TV show series, and other multimedia ventures for Apple TV and several other privately owned establishments.

Outside of the entertainment industry, Michael is an advocate for many black empowerment and liberation movements. He has lent his voice to the numerous anti-social issues plaguing the black community in recent times and most especially wrongful jail sentencing and police brutality. Michael is also vocal on his social media platforms as well as TV shows where he has been invited on diverse occasions to make his position known on subject matter. There has been little update on Michael Rainey’s future projects.