TERRENCE HOWARD

Terrence Howard: A Detailed Introduction

Personal Information

• Full Name: Terrence Dashon Howard

• Date of Birth: March 11, 1969

• Age: 56 (as of 2025)

• Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois, USA

• Ethnicity: African-American and Anglo descent

• Height: 6 feet 0.5 inches (184 cm)

• Family: Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, by his great-grandmother, New York stage actress Minnie Gentry. Howard has five children: Aubrey, Hunter, Heaven, Qirin, and Hero. He has been married three times. 

Early Life and Education

Terrence Howard's early life was marked by hardship. At the age of two, he witnessed his father fatally stab a man during a dispute over a Santa Claus line, leading to his father's conviction and imprisonment. Raised primarily by his great-grandmother, Howard developed an early interest in acting. He later attended Pratt Institute in New York, studying chemical engineering for three semesters before pursuing a career in acting. 

Career Breakthrough

Howard's acting career began in the early 1990s with roles in television series such as Living Single and NYPD Blue. His film debut came in 1993 with a minor role in Who's the Man?. He gained recognition with his performance in Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) and further established himself with roles in The Best Man (1999) and Crash (2004). In 2005, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in Hustle & Flow, portraying a Memphis hustler aspiring to become a rapper. 

Notable Roles and Achievements

• Iron Man (2008): Howard played James "Rhodey" Rhodes in the first Iron Man film. However, due to a contract dispute, he was replaced by Don Cheadle in the sequels.

• Empire (2015–2019): Howard starred as Lucious Lyon, a music mogul, in the hit television series Empire. His performance earned him a BET Best Actor Award in 2015. 

• Recent Projects: In 2024, Howard reunited with his Empire co-star Taraji P. Henson in the Peacock drama Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, based on a real 1970s armed robbery during Muhammad Ali's comeback match. He also starred in Crescent City (2024), a crime thriller. 

Personal Life and Interests

Outside of acting, Howard has shown interest in science and technology. He studied chemical engineering at Pratt Institute and has filed patents related to diamond synthesis and harmonic fusion. Howard is also a grandfather and has expressed a desire to focus more on his family life moving forward. 

Legacy

Terrence Howard's career is marked by a series of powerful performances across film and television. Despite facing personal and professional challenges, he has remained a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, known for his versatility and depth as an actor.