Terrence Howard

About Terrence Howard

Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is an Academy Award-nominated American film and stage actor, and singer. 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 2006. Among his roles in movies includes Ray, Lackawanna Blues, Crash, Four Brothers, Hustle & Flow, Get Rich or Die Tryin', Idlewild, The Brave One, and most recently, Iron Man. His debut pop album, "Shine Through It," heavily inspired by popular soul singers such as Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, was released in September 2008.

Howard was born in Chicago, Illinois, and was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His grandmother, Minnie Gentry, was a stage actress, as were his mother and uncles. His parents were both biracial, of African American and Caucasian descent; he has said he experienced racism throughout his childhood. His father, Tyrone Howard, was involved in what has been termed the Santa Line Slaying, serving 11 months in prison on manslaughter charges after stabbing another man in self-defense. At the age of 16, Howard emancipated himself from his parents and was put on welfare; at 18, he moved to New York City to pursue an acting career. He wanted to be a science teacher, though he had a low grade point average in high school and was admitted to the Pratt Institute in New York only after convincing them to give him a special entrance exam. Howard did not complete his education, as he had joined his brother on an audition for The Cosby Show and was cast in the role. Howard had a principal role in a short-lived CBS sitcom, Tall Hopes. He has cameod in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 as War Machine.

Howard's made his big film break in 1995s Mr. Holland's Opus. He continued being cast in television and movie roles and co-starred as "Greg Sparks" in the late-1990s television series Sparks with James L. Avery, Sr. and Miguel A. Nunez Jr. Howard also appeared in "Best Man" (1999), in Ashanti's music video for her 2002 single "Foolish" and in Mary J. Blige's video for "Be Without You". Howard also made a short appearance on the TV series Family Matters.