Terrence Howard Refused Marvin Gaye Biopic Due To ‘Gay’ Kiss

Source: Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty / Terrence Howard

Terrence Howard isn’t open to playing gay roles in films.

Howard is an accomplished actor, but he will never live down fumbling the Marvel Studios bag, and he might have fumbled another one due to what many people on social media are describing as homophobia.

Terrence Howard revealed he almost took a role in the forthcoming biopic about the late legendary singer Marvin Gaye while speaking with Bill Maher on the comedian and Real Time host’s podcast, Club Random.

Howard told Maher that he believes he made the “biggest mistake” of his career, aside from fumbling the role of James Rhodes to Don Cheadle in the MCU, was passing up the starring role in the Smokey Robinson biopic.

But instead of taking on the role, he decided to entertain his longtime Empire collaborator Lee Daniels, revealing that he had a conversation with Daniels about playing Marvin Gaye in a different biopic.

Maher responded, saying that he believed that Howard made the right decision because Gaye’s life story was “much more interesting,” adding that he “would’ve been perfect as Marvin Gaye, and that is a story that needs to be told.”

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Terrence Howard Passed On Marvin Gaye Role After Hearing Story About His Alleged Sexuality

Howard decided to go full Lucious Lyon and pass on the role because of a story he heard from the late Quincy Jones regarding Gaye’s alleged sexuality, and that he couldn’t kiss a man, saying he would cut his lips off.

Per Variety:

“I was over at Quincy Jones’ house and I’m asking Quincy, ‘I’m hearing rumors that Marvin was gay’ and I’m like, ‘Was he gay?’” Howard explained. “And Quincy’s like, ‘Yes.’”

After that revelation, Howard decided he “could not” star in the movie.

“They would’ve wanted to do that, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that,” he said of portraying a gay man in a movie.

Maher went on to ask, “You mean you couldn’t kiss a guy on screen in a movie?” Howard responded, “No. Because I don’t fake it.”

“That would fuck me,” Howard added. “I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.”

Maher responded by saying he wouldn’t go that far, but understands why Howard felt the way he did about the role. Howard further explained, “It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man.”

The actor says it was more of a matter of him committing to the role.

“I can’t play that character 100 percent,” Howard told Maher. “I can’t surrender myself to a place that I don’t understand.”

Social Media Isn’t Buying What Howard Is Selling

Maher might understand where Howard is coming from, but social media, on the other hand, is not feeling what the Best Man star said about passing the role.

“Learning that Terrance Howard is a woman abuser, is homophobic & supports trump all in the same sitting… oh my…. Hustle & flow was NO ACT!,” one user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote. 

Another user added, “Terrence Howard is a man with a criminal record and history of beating women. You lost your “man card” a long time ago.”

Well damn.

You can see more reactions in the gallery below.

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