Terrence Howard certainly leads an interesting life. In a candid interview with Rolling Stone, the troubled “Empire” star, 46, opens up about his childhood, his quest to change math, how he lost $100 million to Robert Downey Jr. and more.
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1. Howard's third marriage was anything but normal
Terrence Howard and Mira Pak WireImage Mira Pak says she met Howard after he interrupted her dinner with another man back in 2013. Three weeks later, they were married. “Isn’t that crazy?” she said. Since then, she’s never received a gift from him, nor do they have a typical marriage. “We don’t have a normal life,” she said. “In our two years together, I’ve only gone to restaurants with him two or three times. We’ve never been to the supermarket together. We’ve never been to the movies.” Weeks after their joint interview with Rolling Stone, their secret divorce was finalized.
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2. Howard believes 1x1=2
Terrence Howard AP Howard is hell-bent on proving his theory that 1 times 1 equals 2. He often spends 17 hours a day cutting out and connecting plastic shapes to each other to prove this theory, in addition to others he’s created. In an effort to keep his knowledge secret before the patent was approved, Howard created his own language called Terryology. He wrote forwards and backwards, used both hands and used unrecognizable symbols. He says Einstein and Pythagoras would be impressed. “We’re about to show a new truth,” he said. “The true universal math. And the proof is in these pieces. I have created the pieces that make up the motion of the universe.”
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3. Robert Downey Jr. can thank Howard for his "Iron Man" fortune
Terrence Howard and Robert Downey Jr. WireImage / Getty Howard claims “Iron Man” producers weren’t initially interested in Robert Downey Jr. because of his past battles with drugs. In order to get execs to audition and hire Downey, Howard offered to take a $1 million pay cut. When the second installment of “Iron Man” rolled around, Howard learned his role was being reduced as well as his paycheck. After turning down their offer, the role was given to Don Cheadle. Howard says he called Downey 17 times the first day and 21 times the next. He eventually left a message: “Look, man, I need the help I gave you.” He added, “Never heard from him. And guess who got the millions I was supposed to get? He got the whole franchise, so I’ve actually given him $100 million, which ends up being $100 million loss for me from me trying to look after somebody, but, you know, to this day, I would do the same thing. It’s just my nature.” Marvel Studios denies Howard’s version of the story.
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4. Howard’s father killed a man while they were waiting to see Santa
Terrence Howard Getty In 1971, Howard’s father, Tyrone, stabbed a man to death with a nail file while waiting to see a department store Santa Claus in Cleveland. As the story goes, an argument broke out between Tyrone and another man about who was next in line. At the time, Howard was 2 years old. “I was standing next to my father, watching,” Howard recalled. “Then stuff happened so quickly — blood was on the coats, on our jackets — and then my dad’s on a table and then my dad is gone to prison.” Tyrone spent 11 months behind bars for his crime.
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5. Howard cured his Bell’s palsy by shocking himself
Terrence Howard AP In high school, Howard developed Bell’s palsy, which paralyzed the right side of his face. After learning he had a 95 percent chance of his face staying paralyzed, Howard took matters into his own hands. He delivered electrical shocks to his face by cutting wires off his father’s electric razor, attaching one end to his face and the other to a fuse box. “I did that every day for five months and then I felt the slightest little twitch inside,” he said.
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6. Howard was diagnosed with sex addiction
Terrence Howard ©2015 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Christopher Fragapane/FOX. While discussing whether he’s ever received professional help, Howard admitted to seeing a shrink in the ‘90s. “Told me I was crazy,” Howard recalled. “No, he actually told me I had sex addiction. I said, ‘So what do I do?’ He said, ‘Don’t have any sex.’ I was like, ‘OK, good, I gotcha, I gotcha.’” As for any medications he’s ever taken? “No. I took ayahuasca once. The only answer I got was ‘Keep following your hands.’”