Terrence Howard was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Anita Jeanine Williams (née Hawkins) and Tyrone Howard. He was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His love for acting came naturally, through summers spent with his great-grandmother, New York stage actress Minnie Gentry. He later began his acting career after being discovered on a New York City street by ...
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Terrence Howard was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Anita Jeanine Williams (née Hawkins) and Tyrone Howard. He was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His love for acting came naturally, through summers spent with his great-grandmother, New York stage actress Minnie Gentry. He later began his acting career after being discovered on a New York City street by a casting director. Soon, he followed with several notable TV appearances on shows such as Living Single (1993), NYPD Blue (1993) and Soul Food (2000). He became well known for his lead role in the UPN TV series Sparks (1996).Howard broke onto the big screen with his riveting performance in Mr. Holland's Opus (1995). Howard's most memorable performances to date are of scene-stealing characters such as "Cowboy" in the Hughes brother's film Dead Presidents (1995) and as "Quentin" in Malcolm D. Lee's Independent film The Best Man (1999). The latter earning him a NAACP Image Award, Independent Spirit Award nomination and a Chicago Film Critics Award nomination.A self taught musician, Howard plays both the piano and the guitar. You can see Terrence display his musical talents opposite Jamie Foxx in this year's breakout film Ray (2004). A promising songwriter, Howard's lyrics are soon to be acquired by some of today's biggest artists.In addition to his musical talents, Howard also has a strong interest in science. Show less «
(2008) You offend me, I will call you on it. I don't care if you're the head of a studio or a P.A. o...Show more »
(2008) You offend me, I will call you on it. I don't care if you're the head of a studio or a P.A. on the set. You disrespect me, you have to pay for that. You're not gonna tell me 'shut up' and I'll shut up. I've always maintained my integrity. That's more important than anything. Being able to face yourself in the mirror at the end of the day and say, 'I still see me there. I don't see a dented version of me.' Show less «
"I love trees. Too much concrete in New York. Too many big people. I don't do well with big, importa...Show more »
"I love trees. Too much concrete in New York. Too many big people. I don't do well with big, important people...Besides until I start making money I'm strictly McDonald's." [on why he still lives in Philadelphia]. Show less «
I did 19 years of supporting [roles] before I tried to take a lead.
I did 19 years of supporting [roles] before I tried to take a lead.
I don't like skinny girls. A woman is supposed to have curves. I'm definitely attracted to the waves...Show more »
I don't like skinny girls. A woman is supposed to have curves. I'm definitely attracted to the waves in the ocean. Show less «
[when asked by National Public Radio's Scott Simon about the announcement that Howard would not be c...Show more »
[when asked by National Public Radio's Scott Simon about the announcement that Howard would not be cast in the Iron Man (2008) sequel] It was the surprise of a lifetime. There was no explanation. The contract just ... up and vanished. I read something in the trades that implicated it was about money or something, but apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren't worth the paper that they're printed on, sometimes. Promises aren't kept, and good faith negotiations aren't always held up. Show less «
You know, it goes without saying that things are different for people of color. I work to pay the bi...Show more »
You know, it goes without saying that things are different for people of color. I work to pay the bills, not to listen to the hype. I've been the next big thing in this business for a few years. It's funny to me when I hear it now, because I know the way it works. I'm not confused. Show less «
[asked about the worst thing he has witnessed] The worst thing I witnessed was Iron Man (2008) killi...Show more »
[asked about the worst thing he has witnessed] The worst thing I witnessed was Iron Man (2008) killing my career. Or trying to. They tried to. Show less «
Kahlil Gibran said that madness frees us from the world's understanding of us. The best thing you ca...Show more »
Kahlil Gibran said that madness frees us from the world's understanding of us. The best thing you can be called is crazy. Show less «
(2007 - On quitting smoking) The habit was a problem in my life. I always thought I was strong enoug...Show more »
(2007 - On quitting smoking) The habit was a problem in my life. I always thought I was strong enough to battle it, but I guess I wasn't. I went to Dubai for a film festival recently and purchased a 7,000-pound stone lion that now sits outside my home. I put my very last cigarette underneath it. Show less «
If evolution works, why are monkeys still around?
If evolution works, why are monkeys still around?
My father was half-White and half-Black with sky-blue eyes and wavy hair. They called him no-nation....Show more »
My father was half-White and half-Black with sky-blue eyes and wavy hair. They called him no-nation. He hated Whites and told us to be cautious of them. And of Blacks he said, 'You can't trust them.' Show less «
"I'm damn near 37 years old, and I'm jumping up and down on the bed like my 10-year-old. I was a wil...Show more »
"I'm damn near 37 years old, and I'm jumping up and down on the bed like my 10-year-old. I was a wild man" [31 January 2006 upon learning of his Oscar nomination for Hustle & Flow (2005)]. Show less «
(On his first role in The Cosby Show (1984)) I got on the show after begging the casting person to s...Show more »
(On his first role in The Cosby Show (1984)) I got on the show after begging the casting person to see me. We did the episode, I told all my friends it was coming on, and then they cut me out at the last minute. I was furious. So the next day, I went to Mr. Cosby's dressing room and asked him why I got cut out. He didn't seem to appreciate that too much. I never got back on the show again. Show less «