When the season four premiere of βPowerβ hit the Starz app Sunday, Charlie Murphy started trending on Twitter.
In January, EW revealed that Murphy would join the original series as prison guard Marshal Williams. Then on April 12, the world was stunned when the comedian passed away after battling Leukemia. He was 57.
Count his castmates on βPowerβ in the surprised; TMZ reported that Murphy hid the condition from his colleagues on set. The actor simply soldiered on and turned in a very compelling performance across from the showβs lead, βGhostβ played by Omari Hardwick.
Of course in hindsight, Murphy appears gaunt. But it didnβt seem to affect his role β something his fellow actors hope to honor as the showβs new season rolls out.
βIn many ways itβs not as difficult, because celebrity is tough for me,β Hardwick responded when asked by The Knockturnal if Murphyβs death would make the showβs latest installment more difficult to promote. βSo I always need something that I can kind of grab on to, to be the gasoline, to be the fuel to tell the world what Iβm doing.”
βPromoting is not that easy for me,β he continued. βBut with Charlie having passed, I feel honored to promote the show this season if that makes sense. Itβs more of an honor because he was such a part of this season. Weβre all better because we got to work with his crazy ass.β
Murphyβs character takes a special interest in βGhost,β which proves problematic for the night club owner as he attempts to navigate prison without revealing his ties to the underworld.
Season four of βPowerβ will debut with new episodes every Sunday at 12:01 am on the Starz app.
