Terrence Howard said he turned down the Marvin Gaye biopic after learning it could involve kissing a man, citing personal discomfort with the role.
Terrence Howard walked away from portraying Marvin Gaye in a long-anticipated biopic after learning the role might require him to kiss a man.
He says the decision was rooted in personal discomfort rather than prejudice.
Speaking on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, the Empire actor said he passed on the film after a conversation with legendary producer Quincy Jones, who confirmed rumors about Gaye’s sexuality.
“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 recalled. “And Quincy’s like, ‘Yes.’”
Howard, who had been discussing the project with director Lee Daniels, said the revelation made him reconsider.
“They would’ve wanted to do that and I wouldn’t have been able to do that,” he said, referring to a potential romantic scene between two men.
When Maher asked if he couldn’t kiss a man on screen, Howard replied bluntly, “No. Because I don’t fake it.”
He added, “That would f**k me. I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.”
The Iron Man and Hustle & Flow star emphasized that his decision wasn’t rooted in homophobia but his own limitations as an actor.
“That’s fine, do what you love to do, but don’t do it at me, don’t aim it at me,” he said. “I can’t play that character 100%, I can’t. I can’t surrender myself to a place I don’t understand.”
Howard also revealed that turning down the Marvin Gaye project led to another missed opportunity: a biopic about Smokey Robinson.
“The biggest mistake” of his career, he said, was passing on the Robinson film because he was already committed to the Gaye project at the time.
While Marvin Gaye’s life story has been a frequent target for filmmakers, the most recent attempt was announced in 2021.
As for the Smokey Robinson biopic, the Motown icon told The Jennifer Hudson Show in December that the script was nearly complete.
Related
