Shutterstock; Earl Gibson III/Getty Images for NAACP
Omari Hardwick Kisses Beyoncé Twice at NAACP Image Awards and the Beyhive Has Some Thoughts
The Beyhive is not too happy with Power actor Omari Hardwick.
Many of the members think he overstepped his boundaries when he kissed Beyoncé not once but twice on the cheek while embracing her in greeting at the 2019 NAACP Image Awards on Saturday—and near her husband Jay-Z, as seen in a viral fan video. Other fans don’t think the actor did anything inappropriate.
Hardwick’s rep could not be reached for comment. Beyoncé and Jay-Z have also not addressed the encounter.
“2nd kiss was unnecessary & uncomfortable. Don’t do that again,” tweeted user @farhana_io. “We women so often get touched, kissed, groped & poked in instances exactly like this (at an event, at work, etc). WE DON’T LIKE IT. It’s time to no longer let these moments of discomfort slide.”
Some fans targeted Hardwick on his Instagram page, unleashing a swarm of bee emojis and even some threats.
“You tried my Queen with that 2nd kiss! You fine but you ain’t that fine! Count your days,” one person wrote.
“So you’re the dude that got too close to Beyoncé? Come outside I just wanna talk,” another user commented.
Instagram / Omari Hardwick
Other people dismissed the interaction as nothing more than an awkward moment.
And naturally, there were memes.
Beyoncé had won Entertainer of the Year at the NAACP Awards, while Jay-Z received the President’s Award. Hardwick won Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series and Power was dubbed Outstanding Drama Series.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z were treated like royalty at the event. Several other people, including R&B duo Chloe X Halle, also came up to greet them and take photos with them after they arrived at the award show, where the two were welcomed with cheers and applause. The couple were escorted by a couple of bodyguards.
During a commercial break, when it was quiet in Hollywood’s Dolby Theater, a female audience member tried to get the singer’s attention, yelling, “Hey Beyoncé girl!” Actresses Storm Reid and Regina Hall and others, including a little girl and boy, also walked over to the couple and excitedly chatted with them.
Meanwhile, Bey had clearly forgiven actress Sanaa Lathan over that biting incident that Tiffany Haddish talked about last year. Lathan, one of the show’s presenters, gave the singer a quick hug while walking to her seat, and Bey was seen smiling.
—Reporting by Alli Rosenbloom