Terrence Howard was born in Chicago, Illinois, and was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His love for acting was sparked during summers spent with his great-grandmother, New York stage actress Minnie Gentry.
He later began his acting career after being discovered on a New York City street by a casting director. Soon, he followed with several notable TV appearances on shows such as Living Single, NYPD Blue and Soul Food. He became well known for his lead role in the UPN TV series Sparks.
Howard turned in other notable performances in Lackawanna Blues (2005) and Boycott (2001). In the 2010-2011 season, he starred in the short-lived Law & Order: Los Angeles.
Howard broke onto the big screen in Mr. Holland's Opus. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his work in the 2005 film Hustle and Flow, and later was nominated for a Golden Globe ofr his performance in Lee Daniels's The Butler.
Currently, Howard stars in the Fox hit Empire with Taraji P. Henson.
