Terrence Howard Passed on Marvin Gaye Biopic after Finding out He'd Have To Kiss a Man On Screen

Terrence Howard has revealed the line that he refuses to cross when it comes to choosing roles.

via: Variety

Terrence Howard almost starred in a biopic of legendary soul singer Marvin Gaye, but there was one major hold-up for the actor.

During a recent appearance on Bill Maher‘s “Club Random” podcast, Howard said that the “biggest mistake” of his career was turning down the starring role in a Smokey Robinson biopic, a role the musician personally asked him to play.

Howard explained that he turned Robinson down because he was already in “conversation with Lee Daniels about playing Marvin Gaye” in a different biopic.

Maher supported Howard’s decision, adding that Gaye’s life story was “much more interesting.” He went on to say that Howard “would’ve been perfect as Marvin Gaye, and that is a story that needs to be told.”

However, Howard ended up missing out on the Gaye biopic as well. The “Empire” star said he passed on the project after he found out about Gaye’s sexuality from another music great, Quincy Jones.

“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 explained. “And Quincy’s like, ‘Yes.'”

After that revelation, Howard decided he “could not” star in the movie.

“They would’ve wanted to do that, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that,” he said of portraying a gay man in a movie.

Maher went on to ask, “You mean you couldn’t kiss a guy on screen in a movie?” Howard responded, “No. Because I don’t fake it.”

“That would fuck me,” Howard added. “I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.”

Maher said he wouldn’t go as far as Howard, but understands why he would be uncomfortable. Howard then said, “It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man.”

Howard explained that it was more a matter of committing to the role than anything else.

“I can’t play that character 100 percent,” Howard said. “I can’t surrender myself to a place that I don’t understand.”

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Refusing to kiss a man doesn't make you homophobic. That's your prerogative if that is something that you're not comfortable doing. If you're more comfortable on screen playing a pimp or a drug-dealing record mogul instead of an alleged closeted musician, then as a grown man stand on that.

However, when you start going on your bigoted tangents on right wing podcasts, or sitting down on thirsty-to-go-viral podcasts like Bill Maher stating you would cut your lips off if you had to kiss a man on screen, then yes that makes you come off as homophobic.

Terrence needs to focus more on keeping himself from putting paws on the women he gets in relationships with (Since 2000, the actor’s rap sheet has included multiple charges of assault) and less on what men are doing to get ahead in Hollywood.