Terrence Howard

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Terrence Howard

Howard in an F-16 Fighting Falcon simulator
Born Terrence Dashon Howard
March 11, 1969 (1969-03-11) (age 39)
Chicago, Illinois
Occupation Actor
Years active 1992–present
Spouse(s) Lori McCommas (1989-2003)
Lori McCommas (2005-)

Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is an Academy Award-nominated American film and stage actor. 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 them Ray, Lackawanna Blues, Crash, Four Brothers, Hustle & Flow, Get Rich or Die Tryin', Idlewild, and most recently, Iron Man.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Howard was born in Chicago, Illinois, and was raised in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] His grandmother, Minnie Gentry, was a stage actress, as were his mother and uncles.[2] His parents were both multiracial, of African American and white descent; he has said he experienced racism throughout his childhood. His father, Tyrone Howard, was involved in what has been termed the Santa Line Slaying, serving 11 months in prison on manslaughter charges after stabbing another man in self-defense.[1] 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.[1] He wanted to be a science teacher,[2] 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.[1] 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.[1]

[edit] Career

Howard's made his big film break in 1995s 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 "Best Man" (1999), in Ashanti's music video for her 2002 single "Foolish" and in Mary J. Blige's video for "Be Without You".

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).[1] In 2006, Howard was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[3] 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.[2] Howard trained with Ellis for several months in preparation for the role.[2] 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.[4] Filming on Iron Man began in the spring of 2007.[2] 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.[2] Howard has stated that he looks for characters that "teach him about himself" when choosing his film roles.[2] 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).

[edit] Personal life

Howard, who lives outside Philadelphia in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania,[1] was married to Lori McCommas for 14 years.[5] 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.[2] His wife is a Jehovah's Witness,[6] a faith within which she is raising their children. In an interview with NPR, he explains his desire to convert to the Witnesses. He is a self-taught guitarist and pianist.[2] Howard has described physics as his "main love" and has expressed interest in completing his education and obtaining a doctorate.[2]

[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 Annual 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. As of March 2007, Howard is working on his first album, having already recorded the first track, collaborating with singer Chris Brown.[2] Howard has described the album, containing Spanish guitar and R&B and scheduled for a summer 2008 release, as "urban country".[2]

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Films

Year Movie Role
1992 The Jacksons: An American Dream adult Jackie Jackson
1993 Who's the Man? Customer
1995 LottoLand Warren
Dead Presidents Cowboy
Mr. Holland's Opus Louis Russ
1996 Sunset Park Spaceman
Johns Jimmy the Warlock
1997 Double Tap Ulysses
1998 Butter Dexter Banks
Spark Byron
The Players Club K.C.
1999 Valerie Flake Hitchhiker
Best Laid Plans Jimmy
The Best Man Quentin
2000 Big Momma's House Lester
Love Beat the Hell Outta Me Chris
2001 Investigating Sex Lorenz
Angel Eyes Robby
Glitter Timothy Walker
2002 Hart's War Lt. Lincoln A. Scott
2003 Love Chronicles T-Roy
2004 Crash Cameron Thayer
Ray Gossie McKee
2005 The Salon Patrick
Hustle & Flow Djay
Four Brothers Lt. Green
Animal Darius Allen
Get Rich or Die Tryin' Bama
2006 Idlewild Trumpy
2007 Pride Jim Ellis
The Hunting Party Duck (journalist)
The Brave One Detective Mercer
August Rush Richard Jeffries (child counselor)
Awake Dr. Jack Harper
The Perfect Holiday Mr. Bah Humbug
2008 Iron Man Lt. Col James Rhodes (Air Force officer)
Fighting Harvey Boarden

[edit] Television movies

Year Movie Role
1992 The Jacksons: An American Dream Jackie
1995 The O.J. Simpson Story Young A.C
2000 King of the World Cassius Clay
2001 Boycott Ralph Abernathy
2005 Lackawanna Blues Bill Crosby
Their Eyes Were Watching God Amos Hicks

[edit] Awards and nominations

[edit] Awards

[edit] Nominations

  • 2000: Black Reel Award, Best Supporting Actor (Film) (The Best Man)
  • 2005: Black Movie Award, Best Supporting Actor (Crash)
  • 2005: Critic's Choice Awards, Best Actor (Hustle & Flow)
  • 2005: Critic's Choice Awards, Best Ensemble (Crash)
  • 2005: Golden Globe Award, Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama (Hustle & Flow)
  • 2006: NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture (Hustle & Flow)
  • 2006: Academy Award, Best Actor (Hustle & Flow)
  • 2008: NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture (Pride)

[edit] References

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Koltnow, Barry. "A star emerges: Terrence Howard is finally in the spotlight", PopMatters, 2007-03-22. Retrieved on 2007-03-22. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Cohen, Sandy. "Terrence Howard tries on more leading roles, a music career", Akron Beacon Journal, 2007-03-22. Retrieved on 2007-03-22. 
  3. ^ Academy Invites 120 to Membership
  4. ^ Terrence Howard is Bad Now!
  5. ^ http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1264/is_4_36/ai_n15340948/pg_3
  6. ^ NPR: Terrence Howard: 'I Would Be a Witness'

[edit] External links