Terrence Howard’s latest film, “Dead Man Down” hits theaters today. Luckily #TeamBeautiful got a sneak peek earlier this week and Howard stuck around to chat with the tastemakers who viewed the tale of revenge. During the conversation, Howard was candid, insightful and a little bit left of center, ok let me stop, he was just flat out strange.
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I appreciate an intriguing mind and Howard’s mind is definitely that. You know the type–constantly thinking and agonizing over things like the convergence, how the universe works and the transmutation of energy–which is what Howard’s focus was during the chat. He commanded the conversation with his inner-most thoughts, despite being specifically asked about funny moments during filming, advice from his co-star Colin Ferrell and what helps him choose roles. I left feeling enlightened and weighed down by information overload all at the same time. I couldn’t place if I was annoyed or refreshed.
I’d love to take a tour of his brain. I’m sure while waltzing along the path of his pink matter, there would be a section dedicated to Oprah, as he’s professed his lust for her several times since shooting scenes with her in “The Butler.” He explained to the intimate crowd at the theater, “Man, if I was not married and Oprah didn’t have a man, who knows.” There would also be a larger section filled with bookshelves lined with his infinite knowledge. I had no idea the green-eyed man, who can rock a suit hard enough to make me weak-in-the-knees had the brain to match his devastating good looks.
This interview with Terrence was one of the most interesting and well…strange sit-downs I’ve ever had. (Note: this was an open interview, HelloBeautiful did not ask every question below.)Check out what the “Dead Man Down” star had to say about curing cancer, gun control and the surgical enhancement his character received in “The Best Man” sequel.
We are SO exited about The Best Man sequel. What can you tell us about it?
TH: Out of all things, that’s my most anticipated movie because what Malcolm Lee created and showed us what intelligent young Black people are capable of. The Best Man 2 shows where people go, whether they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing and how much we need each other within our community. Sometimes we cut off our nose despite our face and we need the nose to smell us through our next situation. It’s going to be an amazing film, I get teary-eyed thinking about it because there’s some tragedy in it and I think Quentin got a penile implant. [laughs]
Do you like playing the bad guy?
TH: James Earl Jones made a statement from a conversation with Sidney Poitier back in the 1950’s and Sidney reminded him that he needs to play this up-building characters that portray Black men in a very positive light, in comparison to the light we’ve been portrayed for many, many years. James wanted to be on Sidney’s good graces and could only nod along with him, but his integrity of being a human being as an artist, made him take into consideration what his own passion was. He had to tell Sidney, ‘But I like the conflicted man. I like the compromised man–the disenfranchised young man who’s trying to find his way. Not the one who found his way because that’s the beacon light that we need. Sidney was a lamp on the street, but what James Earl Jones accomplished was the flashlight in front of you, where you could light every step along the way. There was a humanity you could associate yourself with. I found that I find more of the humanity within myself when I play the conflicted young man who is trying to figure out himself, but doesn’t always make the best decisions. That’s what we do oftentimes in our community.
What made you take on the role in this film and what it is about a film that will make you do it?
