Jay Pharoah's Joining The 'Million Little Things' Cast & He Might Complicate Things

Fans will get to learn a little more about Rome's backstory on A Million Little Things through the introduction of a new family member. Jay Pharoah plays Rome's brother Omar, and viewers are going to meet him so soon. According to the episode synopsis for the Feb. 14 episode ("The Rock"), "Rome’s brother makes an unexpected visit." And Rome seems less than thrilled to be reunited with his sibling.

Exclusive episode photos posted on HollywoodLife show Omar hanging with his brother Rome, playing video games, and even meeting Maggie and Gary. There's also one photo of Omar unpacking a box of clothes. Is he possibly going to be staying with Rome? That would probably not thrill him, considering that in every episode photo, Rome looks mildly annoyed about something his brother is doing or saying.

And a promo for the episode hints that sibling rivalry may get the best of Rome. In the preview, Rome's dad lets him know that Omar is coming. "Did I tell you your brother's visiting?" he asks a frustrated Rome. In another clip, Rome gets up abruptly from a family dinner, and he later tells his dad, "I have tried to make you proud. It's never enough."

Rome has a complicated relationship with his father. He once tried to ask his father if he'd ever experienced depression like Rome had. His father brushed off the conversation, and he basically suggested that everyone gets sad sometimes but that strong men don't let it get to them.

In a later episode, Rome's father found Rome's anti-depressants and seemed confused and upset that his son was taking them. "I tried to be the man you taught me to be; I tried not to ask for help," Rome said. His father eventually asked if Rome thought the pills were helping. Rome said yes, and his father walked out of the room without saying anything more, except to congratulate his son on fixing the bathroom sink.

It seemed like his father didn't understand why Rome was taking the pills, and he wasn't able to express his emotions about his son having depression. But he also seemed like deep down maybe he wanted to understand, but he simply couldn't ask yet.

In any case, Rome obviously feels like he's a disappointment to his father, and the arrival of his brother is likely to compound that. But whatever struggles the siblings may have on screen, actors Pharoah and Romany Malco (who plays Rome) seemingly had a lot of fun off screen.

In a promo video announcing Pharoah's role on the show, Malco tried to explain that Rome is getting a brother while, off camera, Pharoah was seemingly impersonating Kevin Hart and trying to convince fans that it was Hart who'd be playing the brother. After a minute Pharoah hopped in front of the camera. "Fooled ya!" he said, his arm around Malco's shoulders. "That's right I'm his brother ... and we look kinda alike too," Pharoah added. "Seriously, he looks like he's my taller, younger brother," Malco agreed.

It seems like Omar will only be in the Feb. 14 episode, according to Pharoah's IMDB. The following two episode descriptions don't mention Rome's brother either, so it seems like it's going to be a brief appearance for Pharoah. But even just one episode of backstory information will illuminate more about who Rome is, and fans can always get behind learning more about these characters.

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