TV Interview!
Interview with Omari Hardwick, Trae Romano and Matthew Loren Oates of the movie, “Xeno” by Suzanne 8/27/25
First, it was really fun to speak with Omari Hardwick, whom (as I mentioned in this video) I interviewed 15 years ago! He was very nice, and humble, in this chat. He plays a great villain (of sorts), named Keyes, in this compelling scifi drama. I hope you can watch the movie because it’s got a lot of heart. It’s definitely worth watching. It premieres Friday, 9/19 in select theaters!
Omari Hardwick
Trae Romano and Matthew Loren Oates
Second, I spoke with Matthew, AKA Mattie, who wrote and directed the movie, as well as actor Trae Romano. It’s very exciting. Trae was one of the stars of this film. I recognized him from the show “Stargirl,” where he played Mike, kid step-brother to the heroine, Courtney. He plays a different character here, Gil, but he’s still on the good guys’ team. The actress who stars in the movie, Lulu Wilson, does a fantastic job as a sad high school girl who discovers something amazing in the desert. Gil is one of her classmates, who clearly has a crush on her. The film sort of reminds me of “E.T.” mixed with “Predator.” I really think they should make it into a TV series because the characters and story are so intriguing. I found the ending to be sad, but I didn’t realize that there’s another clip midway through the credits. Don’t miss that!
 MORE INFO: Official Site TrailerXENOIN THEATERS NATIONWIDE SEPTEMBER 19, 2025 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27629220 Rating: PG-13 Genre: Sci-Fi / Adventure / Family Runtime: 103 minutes Language: English Country of Origin: USA Year: 2025 Production Company: Hartbeat in association with Tabooma Director: Matthew Loren Oates Writer: Matthew Loren Oates Producers: Kevin Hart, Bryan Smiley, Luke Kelly-Clyne, Shana Marie, Jesse Jensen Production Company: Hartbeat, in association with Tabooma Distributor: Blue Fox Entertainment Cast: Lulu Wilson, Omari Hardwick, Trae Romano, Wrenn Schmidt, Paul Schneider, Garrett van der Leun Tagline: One Bond. Two Worlds.
Synopsis: A teenage girl and a terrifying alien form a powerful bond after a chance encounter in the desert, sending them on an adventure that questions the nature of good and evil.As government agents close in, the girl discovers the alien is not the extraterrestrial she expected. Compelled to protect her new friend, Matthew Loren Oates (Director/Writer) was born on 5 November 1981 in Sacramento, California, USA. He is a writer and director, known for We Don’t Work (2003), Xeno (2025) and Wasted (2006). Trae Romano’s (Gil) love of acting came after a summer on the set of the Farrelly Brothers remake of “The Three Stooges”. This was soon followed by 555 with Jane Adams. His breakout performance was starring opposite Beau Bridges in “Robbie”, where he played young Robbie. When Trae isn’t acting and doing school work, he enjoys playing guitar, skateboarding and playing video games Omari Latif Hardwick (Keyes) is an American actor known for his starring role as James St. Patrick / Ghost, the protagonist of Starz’s Power and his role as Vanderohe in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead (2021). He is also known for his roles in Saved and Dark Blue, in Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna (2008), Kick-Ass (2010), Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls (2010),[2] and as Andre in BET Network’s Being Mary Jane. |
Logline: A teenage girl and a terrifying alien form a powerful bond after a chance encounter in the desert, sending them on an adventure that questions the nature of good and evil.
she uncovers a secret that could change the fate of both their worlds.
with friends. He splits his time between Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Proofread and Edited by Brenda