Howard had a chance to date Beyoncé early in his career, but prioritized deeper connections over casual relationships.
He later connected with another member of Destiny’s Child instead, though he felt a spark with Beyoncé.
Years later, Beyoncé’s BET Awards performance reminded Howard of what could have been, but he has no regrets about his decision.
Terrence Howard is sharing a surprising “what-could-have-been” story from earlier in his career — and it revolves around none other than Beyoncé.
During a recent appearance on a podcast hosted by entrepreneur and commentator Patrick Bet-David, the Empire actor revealed that there was once a moment when he had the opportunity to pursue a romantic relationship with the Grammy-winning singer. But, according to Howard, he’s the one who chose not to move things forward.
Looking back on his early days in Hollywood, Howard said there was a time when a relationship with Beyoncé could have happened, but he didn’t want to participate in what he described as the entertainment industry’s “hookup culture.”
The actor explained that during that period of his life he was trying to stay grounded and focused on his personal principles rather than casual relationships.
Howard said he preferred to prioritize deeper connections instead of navigating the pressures and expectations that can come with dating within the celebrity world. When Bet-David asked whether he ever wonders about the “what if,” Howard made it clear he has no regrets.
“Nah, that was never on the table for me,” he said.
Howard also shared more details about his interactions with the singer at the time. After speaking with Beyoncé, he said he later connected with another member of the iconic girl group Destiny’s Child.
“I had a chance to date Beyoncé early on, but I ended up talking to the other member of Destiny’s Child…the one with the blue eyes,” he claims.
Though Howard didn’t elaborate much further about the conversation, he hinted that there was a moment when he felt a potential spark between himself and Beyoncé.
Still, he ultimately chose not to pursue anything romantic and instead went in a different direction in his personal life.
Howard also recalled a moment years later that he interpreted as a playful reminder of what might have been. The actor pointed to Beyoncé’s memorable performance at the BET Awards 2005, when she famously pulled him from the audience during a choreographed striptease-style segment.
Howard suggested he felt the moment was Beyoncé’s subtle way of showing him exactly what he had passed up. While he didn’t claim the performance was directly meant as a message, he admitted it crossed his mind when reflecting on their past interaction.
At the time of Howard’s story, Beyoncé was already well on her way to becoming one of the biggest stars in music. After rising to fame with Destiny’s Child in the late 1990s, she launched an enormously successful solo career with hits like “Crazy in Love,” “Single Ladies,” and “Irreplaceable.”
Howard, meanwhile, built his own successful career in film and television, earning an Academy Award nomination for Hustle & Flow and later starring in the hit drama Empire.
Even though the potential romance never happened, Howard seems at peace with the decision.
