Despite his busy schedule, Larenz Tate suffers from sickle cell (1356 hits)
Best known for his role as Darius Lovehall in the 1997 classic, Love Jones or as the iconic O-Dog in Menace II Society, Larenz Tate has made his Hollywood presence known in timeless films at a young age. His breakout role in the Menace was at the age of 17 and he’s continued to bankroll his stardom with small and big screen roles as well as producing his own projects. Despite his busy schedule, Larenz suffers from sickle cell. To bring awareness to this disorder, Larenz, along with his brothers, founded The Tate Brothers Foundation. “It’s really important to know if you carry the disease,” says Tate, 36, who costarred on FX’s Rescue Me and in BET’s made-for-TV movie Gun Hill.
As many as 100,000 people in the United States have the disease, which causes red blood cells to resemble sickles or crescents. The misshapen cells can reduce blood flow, which starves vital organs of oxygen and can lead to chronic fatigue and intense pain. Many people who don’t have the disease carry a gene for it. Screening is essential, a message Tate will spread via Facebook and Twitter (@LarenzTate). “If you can prevent the disease, you can really make a difference in someone’s life,” says Tate.
The Rescue Me alum keeps up his busy schedule in 2014. He’s upped his role to series regular on USA’s original medical drama series Rush, set to premiere July 17. From writer-director Jonathan Levine and Fox 21, Rush follows Dr. William Rush (Tom Ellis), a “medical fixer” who privately caters to LA’s elite. Tate plays Dr. Alex Thomas, Rush’s best friend dating back to medical school and one of the few constants in his life. Unlike Rush, Alex is a man with a plan — he works as a high-ranking physician at one of Los Angeles’ top hospitals and appears to have the ideal family life that Rush has long resisted.
Also, fans get a chance to see the more physical side of Larenz in his film, Gun Hill, where he plays twin brothers. In the film, he shows his buff body using the African American fighting style called 52 Blocks. See a little bit of it below at the link.
