Actors - Terrence Howard

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	Actors - Terrence Howard

Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969 in Chicago, Illinois, USA) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor. Having appeared in film and on television since the late 1980s, Howard had his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus
, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African-American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television and film roles between 2004 and 2005, among them Ray
, Lackawanna Blues, Crash, Four Brothers, Hustle & Flow
, and Get Rich or Die Tryin'
.

Biography

Early life

Howard was born in Chicago, but raised in Cleveland, Ohio to multiracial parents (both of whom were of mixed caucasian and African American descent), which he has said led to experiences of racism throughout his childhood , although his version of one highly publicized incident is disputed by his father and others . Howard was arrested in 2000 for allegedly assaulting a stewardess. Acting runs in his family - his great grandmother, Minnie Gentry is a stage actress from New York. Howard was raised in a Jehovah's Witness household, and attended Pratt Institute, receiving a degree in chemical engineering. He was discovered on a New York street, quickly appearing in small roles on television shows like Family Matters and Coach.

Film career

His big film break came in his role in 1995's Mr. Holland's Opus
. He has continued landing television and movie roles and co-starred as "Greg Sparks" in the late-1990s television series Sparks with James Avery and Miguel A. Nunez Jr. Howard also appeared in Ashanti's music video for her 2002 single "Foolish" and in Mary J. Blige's video for "Be Without You".

Howard has a longstanding reputation in the African-American community as a solid acting talent who often portrays provocative, even frightening characters, such as Cowboy in Dead Presidents
or the memorable Quentin in The Best Man. Though he has recently gained popularity in films like Hustle & Flow
(for which he also rapped), Crash
, and Four Brothers
, he stands out as a modest actor who insists on sharing the spotlight with his co-stars.

In 2005, he received both Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for his role in Hustle & Flow
.

Private life

Howard was married to his former wife, Olivia McCommas-Howard for 14 years and they have 3 children. They divorced several years ago and remarried in 2005, and they have since divorced again. Howard has been romantically linked to former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres and "Hustle & Flow" co-star Taraji P. Henson. Both of these rumors have been disputed.

Quotes

"He’s like Gérard Depardieu, another strong, physical man who can break your heart with sensitivity. He has this creepiness, but a sympathetic attractiveness, too.” - Thandie Newton, Howard's co-star in Crash.

Filmography

The Jacksons: An American Dream
(1992, telefilm)
Who's the Man? (1993)
Mr. Holland's Opus
(1995)
Lotto Land (1995)
Dead Presidents
(1995)
Sunset Park (1996)
Johns (1996)
Double Tap (1997)
Butter (1998)
Spark (1998)
The Players Club
(1998)
Valerie Flake (1999)
Best Laid Plans
(1999)
The Best Man
(1999)
Big Momma's House
(2000)
Love Beat the Hell Outta Me (2000)
Investigating Sex (2001)
Angel Eyes
(2001)
Glitter
(2001)
Hart's War
(2002)
Biker Boyz
(2003)
Love Chronicles (2003)
Crash
(2004)
Ray
(2004)
Lackawanna Blues (2005, telefilm)
Their Eyes Were Watching God
(2005, telefilm)
Hustle & Flow
(2005)
The Salon (2005)
Four Brothers
(2005)
Animal (2005)
Get Rich or Die Tryin'
(2005)

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