Terrence Howard

Biography:

Terrence Howard was born on March 11, 1969, in Chicago, to Tyrone and Anita (née Williams) Howard, who had both African and English ancestry. His great-grandmother was actress Minnie Gentry. Howard grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where his childhood was marked by hardship. He has stated that his father was physically abusive and that, at just two years old, he witnessed his father fatally stabbing another man in the “Santa Line Slaying.” His father was convicted of manslaughter and spent 11 months in prison. After his release, Howard’s parents divorced, and Howard was raised by his great-grandmother until her death in 1993 at age 77.

Howard’s early break in film came in 1995 with Mr. Holland’s Opus and Dead Presidents. He went on to land television and movie roles, including co-starring in the short-lived 1990s series Sparks with James Avery and Miguel A. Núñez Jr. He appeared in The Best Man (1999), Ashanti’s 2002 music video “Foolish,” Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You,” and had roles in shows like Family Matters and Moesha.

When choosing roles, Howard has said he seeks characters that teach him something about himself. His acclaimed performance came in 2005’s Hustle & Flow, where he played a pimp and aspiring rapper. He performed the character’s songs, including “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Howard also produced films, such as the 2007 release Pride, and in 2008 hosted PBS’s Independent Lens.

Howard was originally cast as Colonel James Rhodes in Iron Man (2008), signing on before the other main stars and reportedly being the highest-paid actor in the film. However, he was replaced by Don Cheadle in subsequent sequels, with reports suggesting a major pay cut was offered to him for Iron Man 2.

In September 2008, Howard released his debut adult alternative album, Shine Through It, describing it as a mix of urban and country influences. That same year, he made his Broadway debut as Brick in an all-Black production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Debbie Allen. During rehearsals, he allegedly assaulted composer Tex Allen, leading to a $5 million lawsuit. In 2010, Howard joined the cast of Law & Order: Los Angeles as Deputy District Attorney Joe Dekker, alternating with Alfred Molina, though the series lasted only one season. In 2011, he portrayed Nelson Mandela in Winnie Mandela.

From 2015 to 2020, Howard starred as Lucious Lyon, a hip-hop mogul, in the hit series Empire. He also appeared as Sheriff Arnold Pope in Wayward Pines (2015–2016). At the 2015 Guys Choice Awards, he jokingly claimed “Big Devil” was his ally and received the “Most Dangerous Man” award.

In February 2021, Howard was announced as part of the British sci-fi thriller Beneath, and in 2022 he was cast in the horror film Skeletons in the Closet. Later that year, he stated he had largely retired from acting two years earlier, calling it “the end” of his career.

Howard has been candid about refusing some roles, including one portraying Marvin Gaye, as he said he was uncomfortable with on-screen intimacy with another man.

Personally, Howard has lived in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, since 2007. He has married three women a total of four times and is the father of five children and grandfather to two. His first marriage was to Lori McCommas in 1993, with whom he had three children. They divorced in 2001, remarried in 2005, and divorced again in 2007. In 2010, Howard married Michelle Ghent, but their relationship ended in a contentious divorce finalized in 2013 after allegations of abuse and legal disputes. He later married model and restaurateur Mira Pak in 2013, and the couple had two sons in 2015 and 2016. Though they divorced in 2015, they reconciled and became engaged again in 2018.

Howard’s acting career includes playing Quentin Spivey in The Best Man (1999), The Best Man Holiday (2013), and The Best Man: The Final Chapters (2022). On television, he portrayed figures like Jackie Jackson in The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992), Al Cowlings in The O.J. Simpson Story (1995), Cassius Clay in King of the World (2000), and Ralph Abernathy in Boycott (2001). He won an NAACP Image Award for his performance in Lackawanna Blues (2005).

Alongside his acting, he released Shine Through It in 2008 and has performed on stage. In December 2022, Howard announced his intention to retire from acting, though he has continued to appear in various projects since.