Terrence Howard
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| Terrence Howard | |
 Terrence Howard in May 2007. |
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| Born | Terrence Dashon Howard March 11, 1969 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Actor, singer, rapper |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse(s) | Lori McCommas (1989–2003; 2005–present) |
Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is American actor, singer, and emcee.[citation needed]] Having appeared in film and on television since the late 1980s, Howard had his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television and film roles between 2004 and 2006. Among his roles in movies includes Ray, Lackawanna Blues, Crash, Four Brothers, Hustle & Flow, Get Rich or Die Tryin', Idlewild, The Brave One. Howard co-starred in Iron Man and, though due to reprise his role in Iron Man II, was replaced by Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle (his Crash co-star) in October 2008.[1]
His debut pop album, Shine through It, heavily inspired by popular soul singers such as Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, was released in September 2008.
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[edit] Early life
Howard was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Anita Williams and Tyrone Howard.[2][3] His great-grandmother, Minnie Gentry, was a stage actress, as were his mother and uncles.[4][5] His parents were both biracial, of African American and Caucasian descent; he experienced racism throughout his childhood. His father was involved in what has been termed the Santa Line Slaying, serving 11 months in prison on manslaughter charges after stabbing another man.[2] At the age of 16, Howard emancipated himself from his parents and was put on welfare; at 18, he moved to New York City to pursue an acting career.[2] He wanted to be a science teacher,[4] though he had a low grade point average in high school and was admitted to the Pratt Institute in New York only after convincing them to give him a special entrance exam.[2] Howard did not complete his education, as he had joined his brother on an audition for The Cosby Show and was cast in the role.[2] Though he did not obtain a degree,[2][6] Howard claims to be an engineer.[7] Howard had a principal role in a short-lived CBS sitcom, Tall Hopes.
[edit] Career
Howard first entered the entertainment world when he portrayed a young adult Jackie Jackson in The Jacksons: An American Dream, an ABC miniseries, now frequently shown as a feature-length movie. Three years later, he made his big film break in 1995's Mr. Holland's Opus. He continued being cast in television and movie roles and co-starred as "Greg Sparks" in the late-1990s television series Sparks with James L. Avery, Sr. and Miguel A. Nunez Jr. Howard also appeared in The Best Man in 1999, in Ashanti's music video for her 2002 single "Foolish" and in Mary J. Blige's video for "Be Without You"(her hit song on The Breakthrough Album). Howard also made an appearance on the TV series Family Matters.
In 2005, he received both Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for his role in Hustle & Flow (a role for which he was paid only $12,000).[2] In 2006, Howard was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[8] In 2007, He appeared in the film Pride, playing Jim Ellis, a real-life schoolteacher who founded the first African-American swim team during the 1970s.[4] Howard trained with Ellis for several months in preparation for the role.[4] The same year, he starred in The Hunting Party, a comic thriller in which he played a cameraman in Bosnia opposite Golden Globe Award winner Richard Gere and Jesse Eisenberg; The Brave One, a drama co-starring Academy Award winner Jodie Foster; August Rush, also starring Academy Award winner Robin Williams; and Awake, a thriller with Jessica Alba and Golden Globe Award nominee Hayden Christensen. In 2008, he co-starred in Iron Man, playing Jim Rhodes. "I feel like Sidney Poitier and Jackie Robinson", he told CraveOnline in regards to his responsibility to successfully portray the character's integrity as an ethnic superhero.[9] Filming on Iron Man began in the spring of 2007.[4] It has also been announced that Howard will re-team with Hustle & Flow director Craig Brewer for a film based on the life of Country Music legend Charley Pride.[4] Howard has stated that he looks for characters that "teach him about himself" when choosing his film roles.[4] Howard has also worked as a film producer, receiving such a credit for the film Pride. As of 2008, Howard hosts the PBS' series Independent Lens.
In 2008, he made his Broadway debut, playing Brick in an all-African-American production of Tennessee Williams's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Debbie Allen and also starring James Earl Jones (Big Daddy), Phylicia Rashad (Big Mama) and Anika Noni Rose (Maggie). During rehearsals he allegedly attacked and seriously injured a musical composer Tex Allen. Mr. Allen claimed to have suffered multiple injuries as a result of being being punched multiple times in the head and face and in October 2008 filed a 5 million dollar lawsuit against Howard.[10] On September 1, 2008 he released the album "Shine Through It" in the UK.
In October 2008, Howard made a guest appearance in the movie "For All Mankind" directed by Daniel L. Clifton, filmed on location in Conshohocken PA.
In 2009 he starred in the movie "Fighting."
[edit] Personal life
Howard, who lives outside Philadelphia in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania,[2] was married to Lori McCommas for 14 years.[11] The couple has three children: two daughters (Aubrey and Heaven) and a son (Hunter). Howard and his wife divorced in 2003 and remarried again in 2005, but have since separated. Press reports have since noted that Howard is "trying to reunite" with his wife, and that he has stated that he is "chasing after" her.[4] His wife was born Jewish but is raising their children in the Jehovah's Witnesses faith.[12] In an interview with NPR, he explains his desire to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses, although he was raised a Muslim.[13] He is a self-taught guitarist and pianist.[4] Howard has described physics as his "main love" and has expressed interest in completing his education and obtaining a doctorate.[4]
In February 2009 it was reported on the The Smoking Gun that Howard was arrested in 2001 for a variety of charges related to a violent attack on his estranged wife, including simple assault, terroristic threats, harassment and stalking. According to police reports, he arrived at her house after an argument on the phone, forced entry into her home by breaking in doors, and chased her into the back yard where he punched her twice in the face with a closed fist. The violent attack ended when Howard's brother stopped it. In 2002 he plead guilty only to disturbing the peace.[14]
These issues came to light after he reportedly downplayed singer Chris Brown's 2009 arrest for attacking his girlfriend Rihanna. When Howard was asked about the allegations of domestic violence against Brown, he told a reporter from Hollywood.tv "It's just life, man. Chris is a great guy. He'll be all right, and Rihanna knows he loves her, you know? They'll be all right."[15]
[edit] Music
Although Howard was not a music artist, he performed in several tracks for Hustle and Flow. The song "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp" was written by Three 6 Mafia and produced by DJ Paul. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 78th Academy Awards, and it is also available in a version by Three 6 Mafia. The songs "Hustle And Flow (It Ain't Over)" and "Whoop That Trick", were composed by Al Kapone. All three tracks were performed by Terrence Howard, and they can be heard in the Hustle & Flow Soundtrack. Howard had been working on his first album since March 2007. The album, titled Shine Through It, was released on September 1, 2008.
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Films
[edit] Television movies
| Year | Movie | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | The Jacksons: An American Dream | Jackie | |
| 1994 | Family Matters | ||
| 1995 | The O.J. Simpson Story | Young A.C | |
| 2000 | King of the World | Cassius Clay | |
| 2001 | Boycott | Ralph Abernathy | Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special |
| 2005 | Their Eyes Were Watching God | Amos Hicks |
[edit] Discography
- Shine Through It (2008)
[edit] References
 |
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Terrence Howard |
- ^ Terrence Howard: ‘’Iron Man’’ Replacement "Was the Surprise of a Lifetime"" TV Guide. October 22, 2008. Retrieved on October 22, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Koltnow, Barry (2007-03-22). "A star emerges: Terrence Howard is finally in the spotlight". PopMatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/news/article/32126/a-star-emerges-terrence-howard-is-finally-in-the-spotlight/. Retrieved on 2007-03-22.
- ^ http://www.denverpost.com/celebritybuzz/ci_10565816
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Cohen, Sandy (2007-03-22). "Terrence Howard tries on more leading roles, a music career". Akron Beacon Journal. http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/gossip/16949741.htm. Retrieved on 2007-03-22.
- ^ Obituary: Anita Williams / Mother of actor, recruiter at Pitt
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ Academy Invites 120 to Membership
- ^ Terrence Howard is Bad Now!
- ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/26/terrence-howard-sued-for_n_137907.html
- ^ http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1264/is_4_36/ai_n15340948/pg_3
- ^ Interview: Iron Man star Terrence Howard on music, movies and making mayhem | Film | The Observer
- ^ NPR: Terrence Howard: 'I Would Be a Witness'
- ^ [3]
- ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,495744,00.html
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Terrence Howard |
- Terrence Howard at the Internet Movie Database
- Terrence Howard at the Internet Broadway Database
- Terrence Howard UK music website
- Howard interview, August 2005, Bullz-Eye.com
- Howard interview, July 2005, New York Metro
- Howard interview, May 2005, About.com
- Terrence Howard interview on the Tavis Smiley show
- Terrence Howard is Bad Now!
- 2007 NPR interview, "Terrence Howard: 'I Would Be a Witness'"
- All African-American production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof website
- Stuart Husband, Damn right I'm difficult (Interview), The Observer, May 18, 2008
