Ayrton Oneill
In the 2000 sports drama 'Love & Basketball', Omar Epps, who was 26 at the time, starred alongside Sanaa Lathan as Quincy McCall, an NBA hopeful who falls in love with his next-door neighbour and fellow basketball player, Monica Wright. The film, written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, follows the couple through four distinct quarters of their lives as they pursue their basketball careers and navigate their complex relationship.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of release | 2000 |
| Omar Epps' age at release | 27 |
| Character played by Omar Epps | Quincy McCall (Q) |
| Quincy's occupation | Basketball player |
| Quincy's romantic interest | Monica Wright |
| Monica's occupation | Basketball player |
| Genre | Sports drama, romance |
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What You'll Learn
Omar Epps' age in Love & Basketball
In the 2000 film Love & Basketball, Omar Epps was in his mid-to-late twenties. Born on July 20, 1973, Epps was around 26 or 27 years old when he starred as Quincy McCall, a young man pursuing a career in basketball and a romantic relationship with his neighbour Monica Wright, played by Sanaa Lathan.
Love & Basketball was released on April 21, 2000, in the United States, and was written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances of both Lathan and Epps, as well as Prince-Bythewood's direction and the emotional weight of the film.
Epps had already established himself as a Hollywood staple by the time of the film's release, having starred in high-profile films such as Juice (1992) alongside Tupac Shakur, John Singleton's Higher Learning (1995), and Wes Craven's Scream 2 (1997). He had also previously worked with his Love & Basketball co-star Lathan in The Wood.
In an interview with ESPN in 2020, Epps revealed that he didn't know how to play basketball before Love & Basketball and had to learn on the fly. Despite this, he delivered a "usual fine performance" as Q, a boy striving to be better than his NBA star father, according to an IMDb review.
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Epps' character, Quincy
In the 2000 film Love & Basketball, Omar Epps plays Quincy McCall, a star basketball player at Crenshaw High School and the love interest of Monica Wright, played by Sanaa Lathan. Quincy is popular and dates the prettiest girl in school, while Monica is the leader of the girls' basketball team and struggles to control her emotions on the court. Despite this, they connect romantically and make love after both being accepted to the University of Southern California.
In college, Quincy is a promising player but struggles to deal with the media attention and discovers his father's infidelity. The pressures of their athletic and academic commitments, coupled with their deteriorating relationship, cause them to break up. However, they eventually reunite. Quincy is also known as "Q", and he strives to be better than his NBA star father.
Epps was born on July 20, 1973, making him around 27 years old when Love & Basketball was released in 2000. He had already established himself in Hollywood, having starred in high-profile films such as Juice (1992), Higher Learning (1995), and Scream 2 (1997). He had also worked with Lathan previously on the film The Wood. During the filming of Love & Basketball, Epps and Lathan began dating in real life, although they kept their relationship a secret from the film's director, Gina Prince-Bythewood.
Quincy's character in Love & Basketball has been described as a "fairytale love story for women" by Epps, due to the \"real friendship\" his character shared with Monica. The film has become a cult classic and is known for its focus on the female perspective and its non-stereotypical portrayal of African-American characters.
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![Love & Basketball (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81CCJa84-6L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
![Love & Basketball [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61bmMWstU8L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Quincy's relationship with Monica
In the 2000 American romantic sports drama film 'Love & Basketball', Omar Epps, aged 26 at the time, played the role of Quincy McCall, an NBA hopeful and a star basketball player at Crenshaw High School. Quincy's relationship with Monica Wright, played by Sanaa Lathan, was the central focus of the film.
Quincy and Monica are next-door neighbours in Los Angeles who pursue their respective basketball careers and eventually fall for each other. In high school, Quincy is popular and dates the prettiest girl in school, while Monica is the leader of the girls' basketball team and harbours feelings for Quincy. Despite their initial differences, they connect romantically and make love after both being accepted to the University of Southern California.
As the film progresses, their relationship faces challenges due to the pressures of their athletic and academic commitments. Quincy struggles to deal with media attention and is distressed by his father's infidelity. Monica, on the other hand, frequently clashes with her head coach, Ellie Davis, and struggles to get playing time on the women's team. These challenges cause a strain on their relationship, leading to a break-up.
However, despite their separation, two things remain constant throughout the film: Monica is the better basketball player, and Quincy and Monica are destined to end up together. After visiting Quincy in the hospital following a devastating knee injury, Monica learns he is engaged to be married. Yet, in the end, Quincy realises he cannot live without Monica and chooses her over his fiancée. The two get married, have a daughter, and Monica goes on to play in the WNBA.
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![Love & Basketball (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71kSF1JtaGL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Quincy's basketball career
In the 2000 film Love & Basketball, Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) is an aspiring NBA basketball player. He is the male protagonist of the film and next-door neighbour to Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan), the female protagonist, who also dreams of a career in basketball.
Quincy and Monica's story is divided into four quarters, each representing a different period in their lives. In the first quarter, set in 1981, the two characters are children and become friends due to their shared love for basketball. Quincy is beaten by Monica in their first one-on-one game, and their friendship is tested when he accidentally knocks her down during a game, cutting her face. However, they reconcile and share their first kiss.
In the second quarter, set in 1988, Quincy and Monica are in high school. Quincy is a star basketball player and the most popular boy in school, dating the prettiest girl. Monica is the leader of the girls' basketball team and struggles to control her emotions on the court, harbouring feelings for Quincy. Despite this, they manage to connect romantically.
The third quarter sees Quincy and Monica attend the University of Southern California. Quincy is a promising player on the court, but he struggles to deal with the media attention and discovers his father's infidelity. The pressures of their athletic and academic commitments, coupled with their deteriorating relationship, cause them to break up.
In the fourth quarter, set in 1993, Quincy and Monica are both professional basketball players. Quincy is in his fifth year as a player for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Monica plays for an International Women's Basketball Association (IWBA) team in Barcelona.
Throughout the film, Quincy's basketball career is central to his character and the development of the plot. His relationship with Monica is complicated by their shared passion for the sport and their pursuit of their respective basketball careers.
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Epps' career after Love & Basketball
Omar Epps, who was 27 when Love & Basketball was released in 2000, has gone on to have a successful career in film and television.
In the years following the release of Love & Basketball, Epps held supporting roles in several films, including Dracula 2000, Big Trouble, and the telepic Conviction. He also had a leading role as a gangster in the Japanese film Brother, directed by acclaimed actor/director Takeshi Kitano.
In 2004, Epps landed the role of drug-dealer-turned-prizefighter Luther Shaw in the biopic Against the Ropes. That same year, he returned to television medical drama with his role as Dr. Eric Foreman on the hit US Fox television series House. The role earned him a NAACP Image Award in 2007 and 2008 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Epps has since appeared in several other television series, including Shooter (2016-2018) and Power Book III: Raising Kanan. He has also ventured into literature, writing several books, including the memoir From Fatherless to Fatherhood. In addition to his career, Epps is a devoted husband and father and is actively involved in various charitable endeavours, supporting causes related to education, youth empowerment, and social justice. He serves on the Cultural Council of RepresentUs, a nonprofit organisation focused on passing anti-corruption laws in the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
Omar Epps was around 26-27 years old during the filming of "Love and Basketball".
Omar Epps was 27 years old when "Love and Basketball" was released in 2000.
Omar Epps' character Quincy McCall was a child in the first quarter of the movie, a high schooler in the second quarter, and a college student in the third quarter.
Omar Epps is currently 49 years old. He was born on July 20, 1973.
