Terrence Howard Turned Down A Lee Daniels-Directed Marvin Gaye Biopic Because He “Could Not” Kiss A Man: “I Would Cut My Lips Off”
Wed,30 Apr 2025 17:18:00
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Academy Award-nominated actor Terrence Howard revealed he turned down a Lee Daniels-helmed biopic about legendary Motown musician Marvin Gaye because it would require him to explore the Prince of Soul’s rumored homosexuality.
Speaking with Bill Maher on his Club Random podcast , the Empire star recalled “the biggest mistake I made in my career,” which was rejecting Smokey Robinson’s offer to play him in a biopic after the King of Motown invited him out to dinner. At the time, he said, he was in the middle of talks for the Gaye biopic and “was being faithful to Lee Daniels because I had given him my word as man.”
Howard said the news “broke [Robinson’s] heart,” while host Maher remarked that the exploration of Gaye’s life would have been “much more interesting” because “there’s a lot more drama,” given the What’s Going On artist’s killing by his father.
“You would have been perfect as Marvin Gaye,” Maher added.
Given that neither project ended up coming to fruition, Howard explained that he was once at the late Quincy Jones’ house when the pioneering record producer confirmed Gaye’s sexuality. “I’m asking Quincy, ‘I’m hearing rumors that Marvin was gay’ and I’m like, ‘Was he gay?’ And Quincy’s like, ‘Yes,'” Howard recounted.
As a result, the Iron Man actor said he “could not” play the role. “They would’ve wanted to do that, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that.”
When Maher clarified, “You mean you couldn’t kiss a guy on screen in a movie?” Howard replied, “No. Because I don’t fake it.”
“I couldn’t kiss a man either,” Maher agreed.
Howard went as far to say: “That would f— me. I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.”
Meanwhile, Maher paused, awkwardly chuckling, and added, “It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man.”
“That’s fine, do what you love to do, but don’t do it at me, don’t aim it at me,” Howard concluded, “and I can’t play that character 100%, I can’t. I can’t surrender myself to a place I don’t understand.”
Throughout the years, there have been several attempts to depict Gaye’s life onscreen. Most recently, Deadline exclusively reported in 2021 that Warner Bros. had landed an Allen Hughes -directed project with producers Dr. Dre , Jimmy Iovine and Andrew Lazar from a script by poet-playwright Marcus Gardley (2023’s The Color Purple ).
Speaking with Bill Maher on his Club Random podcast , the Empire star recalled “the biggest mistake I made in my career,” which was rejecting Smokey Robinson’s offer to play him in a biopic after the King of Motown invited him out to dinner. At the time, he said, he was in the middle of talks for the Gaye biopic and “was being faithful to Lee Daniels because I had given him my word as man.”
Howard said the news “broke [Robinson’s] heart,” while host Maher remarked that the exploration of Gaye’s life would have been “much more interesting” because “there’s a lot more drama,” given the What’s Going On artist’s killing by his father.
“You would have been perfect as Marvin Gaye,” Maher added.
Given that neither project ended up coming to fruition, Howard explained that he was once at the late Quincy Jones’ house when the pioneering record producer confirmed Gaye’s sexuality. “I’m asking Quincy, ‘I’m hearing rumors that Marvin was gay’ and I’m like, ‘Was he gay?’ And Quincy’s like, ‘Yes,'” Howard recounted.
As a result, the Iron Man actor said he “could not” play the role. “They would’ve wanted to do that, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that.”
When Maher clarified, “You mean you couldn’t kiss a guy on screen in a movie?” Howard replied, “No. Because I don’t fake it.”
“I couldn’t kiss a man either,” Maher agreed.
Howard went as far to say: “That would f— me. I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.”
Meanwhile, Maher paused, awkwardly chuckling, and added, “It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man.”
“That’s fine, do what you love to do, but don’t do it at me, don’t aim it at me,” Howard concluded, “and I can’t play that character 100%, I can’t. I can’t surrender myself to a place I don’t understand.”
Throughout the years, there have been several attempts to depict Gaye’s life onscreen. Most recently, Deadline exclusively reported in 2021 that Warner Bros. had landed an Allen Hughes -directed project with producers Dr. Dre , Jimmy Iovine and Andrew Lazar from a script by poet-playwright Marcus Gardley (2023’s The Color Purple ).
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