Joseph Sikora Reveals Why He Wears His ‘Power’ Character, Tommy Egan, Like A “Badge Of Honor”

On Sunday (Feb. 6), Joseph Sikora—known to fans as Tommy Egan—was placed front and center in the Power universe following the premiere of Power Book IV: Force. The newest installment in the franchise follows Egan to Chicago from a life he’s ready to leave behind in New York City. As he returns to his roots in The Chi, where he was born before being uprooted to Queens, N.Y., he finds himself uncovering new details about his past while gaining a potential new love interest and immediately getting entangled with Chicago’s drug game.

Fresh off the heels of his new show‘s debut, Sikora appeared on The Wendy Williams Show on Monday (Feb. 7), which is being co-hosted for the week by rappers Remy Ma and Fat Joe as it’s reported that Williams will not return to the purple chair for the remainder of Season 13. Sikora spoke on his own Chicago upbringing and why he wears his character, Tommy, like a “badge of honor” two years after the Power series finale.

Coming back to his hometown after 20 years was “interesting” for Sikora who grew up on the Northwest side of the city. “You can never really come home again,” he shared while revealing he went back earlier than production required to relearn his old stomping grounds. While there, he freshened up his skills since he used to be an amateur fighter in the Chicago Park District.

Now, when it comes to Power Book IV: Force, Sikora explained that 50 Cent admitted this spinoff is the “most natural progression from Power,” but the rapper used Power Book II: Ghost and Power Book III: Raising Kanan as “testing grounds” before beginning production on Force. Additionally, with the popularity of his character, Tommy, Sikora also confessed that it has become second nature for fans to call him by his fictional name.

Although initially, he would correct people, Fif was the one who advised him not to. “He goes, ‘No Joe, look, you’re Tommy. Alright? Let me explain it to you like this,’” recalled Sikora, continuing, “‘He’s like, fans make real investments of their emotions into the character. Say you made an investment into the bank and the bank was like, ‘Just kidding! Not a bank. So, if you do that to them—just let them. You’re Tommy. They’re claiming you. They’re giving you love.’ That’s a sign of love and I wear it like a badge of honor.”

Power Book IV: Force is streaming exclusively on STARZ.

Watch the full interview below where Sikora also discusses his rap skills on DJ Kay Slay’s track, “Tommy Egan,” and his role on Ozark.

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