Who is Terrence Howard? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Terrence Dashon Howard

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Lori McCommas m. 1989–2003, Lori McCommas m. 2005–2007, Michelle Ghent m. 2010–2013, Miranda Pak m. 2013–2015

father: Tyrone Howard

mother: Anita Hawkins Williams

children: Aubrey Howard, Heaven Howard, Hunter Howard, Qirin Love Howard

Actors American Men

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

City: Chicago, Illinois

U.S. State: Illinois

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Childhood & Early Life

Terrence Howard was born on 11 March 1969, in Chicago, Illinois, in the USA to Tyrone Howard and Anita Howard.

He had an unpleasant childhood as both his parents used to be abusive towards him. At just the age of two, he witnessed his father stab a man, which led to his father’s imprisonment for some time for manslaughter. After his father’s release, his parents divorced.

Howard himself separated from his parents at the age of 16, after which he supported himself through welfare. At the age of 18, he moved to New York to pursue his acting career.

He initially attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, with major in chemical engineering, but he dropped out after two years, and started doing small acting roles in different TV shows.

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Career

Terrence Howard’s first significant role was in the year 1992 in the TV miniseries named ‘The Jacksons: An American Dream’, where he appeared as a character named Jackie Jackson.

In 1995, he appeared in the movies ‘Dead President’, and ‘Mr. Holland’s Opus’, earning much popularity and appreciation for his brilliant performances in both the movies.

In 1999, he appeared in the American romantic comedy ‘The Best Man’ in a supporting role. The film was a huge success, winning numerous awards and accolades. Howard himself received the ‘NAACP Image Award’ for Outstanding Supporting Actor.

He continued appearing in several other movies such as ‘Angel Eyes’ (2001), ‘Hart’s War’ (2002), and ‘Biker Boyz’ (2003). He achieved international popularity after his appearance in the 2004 Oscar winning drama film ‘Crash’. His performance won him numerous awards such as ‘Black Reel Award’ for Best Supporting Actor and ‘NAACP Image Award’ for Outstanding Supporting Actor’.

He appeared in another Oscar Winning Movie ‘Hustle & Flow’ in 2005. Playing the lead role in the film, he won many hearts, along with several awards, such as ‘The Black Reel Award’ and ‘Satellite Award’, both for Best Actor.

In 2008, he released his first studio album ‘Shine Through It’. The album, which was a mix of several genres, had eleven tracks, all written or co-written by Howard. The album was a mild success, peaking at No. 31 in the US Billboard 200. The same year, he also did a supporting role in the well-known superhero movie ‘Iron Man’. He also did a voice role in the ‘Iron Man’ video game.

His most significant role on TV came in the 2015 drama series ‘Empire’. His role has earned him the ‘BET Award for Best Actor’, along with several other award nominations. Some of his latest movies include ‘Dead Man Down’ (2013), ‘House of Bodies’ (2013), ‘Sabotage’ (2014), and ‘Term Life’ (2016).

Major Works

’Crash’, a 2004 American drama, which was directed by Paul Haggis, is one of the most significant movies in Howard’s career. The film, which revolves around social as well as racial issues in Los Angeles, starred several popular actors such as Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon and Brendan Fraser. Howard, who appeared as Cameron Thayer, won several awards and nominations for his performance. Though the film wasn’t much of a commercial success, it received mostly positive reviews.

’Hustle & Flow’ an Oscar winning movie, directed by Craig Brewer is another one of Howard’s most successful works. The film stars Howard in the lead role. He plays a pimp and a drug dealer, who decides to become a rapper after he fails to find satisfaction in his life. Howard’s role earned him several awards and nominations, and the film was a huge success as well, winning an Oscar for best original song.

He appeared in a significant role in the 2008 superhero film ‘Iron Man’. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film starred popular actors such as Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, and Gwyneth Paltrow, in addition to Howard. It was a commercial success, grossing over $ 585 million. Howard’s role as James Rhodes, earned him a nomination for the Black Reel Awards. The film also received two Oscar nominations. Two sequels to the film were also released in 2010 and 2013 respectively.

’Empire’ an American musical drama series, is Terrence Howard’s most significant work on TV. The show, which started airing in January 2015 on Fox Network, focuses on a music and entertainment company in New York, whose founders’ family members fight for control over the company. Howard appears in the lead role as Lucious Lyon, who has served as the CEO of the company for a long time. His role earned him the ‘BET Award’ for Best Actor along with several other nominations.

Awards & Achievements

Throughout his career, Terrence Howard has received numerous awards as well as nominations for his amazing acting skills. These include the ‘NAACP Image Award’ for Outstanding Supporting Actor, for his role in the 1999 movie ‘The Best Man’, ‘National Board of Review Award’ for Breakthrough Performance for his role in the 2004 movie ‘Crash’, ‘BET Award’ for Best Actor for his role in the TV series ‘Empire’ 92015).

Personal Life & Legacy

Terrence Howard married Lori McCommas in 1994. They had two daughters and one son. The couple divorced in 2003, but remarried in 2005. But in 2007, they divorced again.

In late 2013, he married his third wife Mira Pak. The couple has two sons, who were born in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Howard currently lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Terrence Howard Biography