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Michael Rainey Jr.

Michael Rainey Jr.

Actor · Born September 22, 2000 (26) · Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Michael Rainey Jr. is an acclaimed actor, producer, and creative force best known for his starring role as Tariq St. Patrick on STARZ’s hit drama series Power Book II: Ghost, where he leads a star-studded cast in the highly successful spinoff of the iconic series Power. His portrayal of Tariq has positioned him as one of the most compelling young leads on television today. In 2026, Rainey also appeared as a guest star in the season finale of Power Book IV: Force, further expanding his presence within the Power universe. Rainey first gained widespread recognition as Tariq St. Patrick on Power, acting opposite Omari Hardwick, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, and Naturi Naughton. His performance evolved from a supporting role into one of the franchise’s most pivotal and talked-about characters. Michael’s career began at the age of ten when he starred in the Italian film Un Altro Mondo (2010), directed by Silvio Muccino. For the role, he mastered the Italian language, immersed himself in the culture, and lived abroad for a year. His performance earned immediate praise and attention from industry leaders. Upon returning to the United States, Rainey’s career accelerated rapidly. He made his American film debut in LUV (2012), alongside Common, Danny Glover, Charles Dutton, and Meagan Good. He went on to appear in The Butler (2013), starring Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker, directed by Lee Daniels. Additional credits include recurring roles in Orange Is the New Black, a starring role in Barbershop: The Next Cut opposite Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, and Nicki Minaj, as well as Second Chance Christmas for TV One. Rainey has also appeared in the action thriller 211 alongside Nicolas Cage and starred in the Netflix film Amateur, produced by Mandalay Bay Entertainment and written and directed by Ryan Koo. Beyond acting, Michael is a music producer, creative entrepreneur, and cultural influencer. He served as Tommy Hilfiger North America Brand Ambassador in 2024 and 2025 and collaborated on the Boho Man Capsule Collection, blending fashion with modern storytelling. Rainey is also active in college panels, keynote speaking engagements, and youth-focused discussions, where he shares insights on discipline, creativity, and navigating success at a young age. He continues to give back through philanthropic partnerships supporting homeless and underserved communities nationwide. Michael Rainey Jr. stands as a powerful example of what happens when talent, humility, and relentless work ethic align, not just on screen, but in life.

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Biography from IMDb.

Born
September 22, 2000 (26)
From
Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
9 on MovieCove · 14 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 27% in 30 days

What are Michael Rainey Jr.'s films like?

Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
44%
Bonds
28%
Morality
16%
Power
8%
Survival
4%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 2 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 2 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 3 of 3 analyzed roles.

Hero
3 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Melancholic
3
Contemplative
2
Thrilling
2
Warm
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Unsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Michael Rainey Jr.'s films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 9 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Rainey Jr.'s titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

14 credits, 9 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Girl Dad(2026)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Crew Has It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 34 episodes · Director · Creator · Actor

  • Power Book II: Ghost(2020)

    Show 40 episodes · as Tariq St. Patrick

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • 211(2018)

    as Kenny

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Amateur(2018)

    as Terron Forte

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Barbershop: The Next Cut(2016)

    as Jalen

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Second Chance Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Lawrence

  • Power(2014)

    Show 53 episodes · as Tariq St. Patrick

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The Butler(2013)

    as Cecil Gaines (8)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Orange Is the New Black(2013)

    Show 7 episodes · as Michael Burset

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Luv(2012)

    as Woody

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Un altro mondo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Charlie

  • Goons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Power: Legacy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Producer · as Tariq St. Patrick

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 14 titles, 12 of them dated from 2010 to 2026; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

211 (2018)

$1.1M worldwide

Highest rated

Power (2014)

Midcredits 91st

Film career

20102026

Peak 2018 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting14 of 14: 12 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score66thDirecting1 of 14: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 14: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 14: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

2010s9 · acting2020s3 · 3 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 17% of 6 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Michael Rainey Jr.'s films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 47th percentile, the median of all 6; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 9 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

3 of their 9 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

Girl Dad (2026)

99th percentile spread · 29% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Power (2014)

Midcredits 91st · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 48/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 30. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Michael Rainey Jr.'s work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 82 · severeMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 42 · moderateMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 79 · intenseMedian of all films: 36
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 62 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Michael Rainey Jr. work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Rainey Jr.'s MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Meagan Good shares the most, 2.

Actors

Editors

Producers