Terrence Howard Passed on Marvin Gaye Biopic Because He Had to Kiss ‘Some Man’: ‘I Would Cut My Lips Off’

Terrence Howard turned down the lead role in a Marvin Gaye biopic when he found out he would have to kiss another man.

While talking with Bill Maher on Sunday’s episode of the “Club Random” podcast, Howard explained that his biggest role regret was saying no to Smokey Robinson who wanted the “Empire” alum to play him in his own biopic. Howard had to say no because he was already talking with Lee Daniels about playing Marvin Gaye in a separate film.

Howard never appeared as either legendary musician once Quincy Jones broke the news to him that he would be playing a gay man in the film.

“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?,'” Howard said. “And Quincy’s like, ‘Yes.'”

After learning that, Howard bowed out of the project. He told Maher that he “wouldn’t have been able to do that.” Maher clarified that Howard meant he did not want to “kiss a guy on screen in a movie.”

“No. Because I don’t fake it,” Howard replied.

He added: “That would f–k me. I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.”

Maher agreed that he did not think he could kiss a man on screen though he also said he would not go to the extremes that Howard mentioned. He did understand the actor dropping out of the role.

“It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man,” Maher added.

You can listen to the full “Club Random” episode here.

The post Terrence Howard Passed on Marvin Gaye Biopic Because He Had to Kiss ‘Some Man’: ‘I Would Cut My Lips Off’ appeared first on TheWrap.