Terrence Howard is making it clear that he has strong boundaries when it comes to his acting roles — especially when it comes to portraying LGBTQ+ characters.
During a recent appearance on Bill Maher‘s Club Random podcast, the actor stated that he would rather “cut his lips off” than kiss another man for a movie role.
At one point in their conversation, Maher praised Howard, calling him “this generation’s Billy Dee Williams,” and even floated the idea that Howard should play Williams’ son in a future film. Reflecting on his acting career, Howard shared what he considers one of his biggest regrets: turning down the opportunity to portray Smokey Robinson in a biopic.
“He wanted me to play his life, and I had just had conversations with Lee Daniels about playing Marvin Gaye,” Howard said. “I was being faithful to Lee Daniels because I had given my word. So when Smokey asked, I had to turn him down at the table, and it broke his heart. Billy Dee would have been one of the other people involved too.”
Maher remarked that Marvin Gaye’s life story might be “more interesting” than Robinson’s, prompting Howard to explain why he ultimately backed away from the Marvin Gaye project as well.
Howard recalled a conversation he had at Quincy Jones’ house, where he sought clarity on persistent rumors about Gaye’s sexuality.
“I’m asking Quincy, ‘I’m hearing rumors that Marvin was gay,’” Howard said. “Quincy was like, ‘Yes.’ … They would have wanted to explore that, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
According to Howard, the potential depiction of Gaye’s rumored sexuality was a dealbreaker.
“No. I don’t fake it,” Howard told Maher. “That would f*ck me up. I would cut my lips off. If I kiss some man, I would cut my lips off.”
While Howard emphasized that he has no issue with homosexuality, he firmly stated that he could not authentically portray a gay character.
“I can’t play that character 100 percent,” he explained. “I can’t surrender myself to a place that I don’t understand.”
Terrence Howard’s Views on Hollywood and Masculinity
This isn’t the first time Howard has spoken openly about his views on sexuality and the entertainment industry.
As previously reported by HOT 97, during an appearance on the PBD Podcast, Howard criticized the infamous “freak offs” allegedly held at Diddy’s parties. He claimed that attending such events could permanently damage a man’s sense of self.
“When you give up your manhood, I’ve never seen somebody recover from it,” Howard said. “That was all the people that went to the Puffy parties. That was all the people that did all those things thinking that there was never gonna be a consequence. Get punked out and pimped out by some over-greater desire.”
Howard’s comments reflect his long-standing belief in preserving personal integrity — even in the often morally complex world of celebrity culture.
