*Terrence Howard is reflecting publicly on the explosive moments and unchecked anger that he now believes pushed him out of one of Hollywood’s most lucrative franchises. The actor originated the role of James Rhodes in the 2008 blockbuster “Iron Man” and was among the highest-paid members of the production.
Howard was a pioneering presence in the MCU, becoming the first performer officially brought into the universe. Despite the significance of that distinction, his time in the franchise was short-lived. Director Jon Favreau reportedly felt the actor was wrong for the direction “Iron Man 2” was heading, and the studio moved to substantially cut his screen time and compensation before replacing him entirely.
Speaking on the PBD podcast, Howard traced part of his exit back to a clash with producer Joel Silver at the 2007 Venice Film Festival, The Movie Blog reports. The two crossed paths while Howard was there to promote the film “The Brave One.” When Silver indicated that Howard held a secondary position on the project and was unlikely to receive anything beyond a supporting actor nod, Howard fired back directly.
Terrence Howard reflects on losing a Marvel role after threatening the producer ? https://t.co/kBX2jy8qU7
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“Thank you for telling me that, now I understand. But you have to remember that I am a man just like you, and if you ever talk to me in that way again, I will knock your teeth out of your mouth,” he said. Howard believes the fallout from that exchange factored into Marvel’s decision to move on without him.
Still, Howard stopped short of placing all the blame on that single encounter. He described a recurring tendency toward confrontation that has shadowed his career for years. He recalled a candid conversation with Denzel Washington, who pointed out: “Look at your hands, you’re always like this. Your fists are all balled up,” and cautioned that producers were willing to reward him financially if only he would let his guard down.
Howard has additionally alleged that legal action he took against 20th Century Fox and Disney effectively shut him out of the industry.
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