Terrence Howard

Terrence Howard was born Terrence Dashon Howard on March 11, 1969, in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His interest in acting developed during summers spent with his great-grandmother, New York stage actress Minnie Gentry. Howard’s early career began after a casting director discovered him on a New York City street. He secured several television appearances, including roles on “Living Single” (1993), “NYPD Blue” (1993), and a lead role in the UPN series “Sparks” (1996).

Howard made his significant film debut in 1995 with a role in “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” The same year, he delivered a performance as ‘Cowboy’ in the Hughes brothers’ film “Dead Presidents.” His career continued to gain momentum with roles that earned him critical recognition, such as ‘Quentin’ in the independent film “The Best Man” (1999), which garnered him a NAACP Image Award, an Independent Spirit Award nomination, and a Chicago Film Critics Award nomination. Howard also showcased his musical talents as a self-taught pianist and guitarist, performing opposite Jamie Foxx in the film “Ray” (2004).

His career progression led to an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role as a pimp and aspiring rapper in “Hustle & Flow” (2005), where he performed all his character’s songs. He also played James “Rhodey” Rhodes in the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film “Iron Man” (2008). From 2015 to 2020, Howard starred as Lucious Lyon in the Fox musical drama series “Empire,” a role that further solidified his status in television. He has also been involved in various production and writing roles, including executive producing the 2007 film “Pride” and writing for “Skeletons in the Closet” (2024).