Terrence Howard explained recently why he declined the opportunity to play music legend Marvin Gaye in a biopic.
For the past several years, there have been attempts to do a biopic centering on the Prince of Motown and his celebrated work in his legendary career. However, none of them have come to fruition up to this day.
Terrence Howard Reveals Why He Turned Down Marvin Gaye Biopic Role
In an interview with Bill Maher on the Club Random podcast, Howard shared a story about when he went to dinner with Smokey Robinson because "he wanted me to play his life" in a biopic.
However, he had to turn down Robinson as he was also in talks with Lee Daniels about potentially playing Marvin Gaye in a biopic that he was working on at that time.
In the end, Howard did not play either of the music legends. He declined to play Gaye after learning that the singer's sexuality might also be explored in the project.
"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?' And Quincy’s like, 'Yes,'" he said.
By that point, Howard decided that he couldn't play Marvin Gaye in a biopic.
"They would’ve wanted to do that, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that," he said.
When Maher asked whether he could kiss a guy in a movie, Howard responded, "No. Because I don’t fake it."
The actor added, "That would f*ck me. I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off."
Howard also clarified that it's all a matter of authenticity, which is why he cannot see himself playing Marvin Gaye.
"I can't play that character 100 percent. I can't surrender myself to a place that I don't understand," he explained.
The Latest Development on Marvin Gaye Biopic
The most recent attempt to produce a Marvin Gaye biopic is being spearheaded by Dr. Dre and Allen Hughes.
They reportedly made a deal with Warner Bros. to develop the project titled What's Going On. Hughes is attached to direct while Dr. Dre is co-producing.
It was initially slated for release in 2023. However, there has been no movement on the project since then, and we have not heard an update on whether it is moving to production anytime soon.
What do you think of Howard's decision? Let us know in the comments!
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