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Terrence Howard

Terrence Howard

Actor, also producer and writer · Born March 11, 1969 (57) · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award winner · Oscar nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is an American actor. Having his first major roles in the 1995 films Dead Presidents and Mr. Holland's Opus, Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of television and cinema roles between 2004 and 2006. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Hustle & Flow. Howard has had prominent roles in many other movies, including Winnie Mandela, Ray, Lackawanna Blues, Crash, Four Brothers, Big Momma's House, Get Rich or Die Tryin', Idlewild, Biker Boyz, August Rush, The Brave One, and Prisoners. Howard played James "Rhodey" Rhodes in the first Iron Man film. He starred as the lead character Lucious Lyon in the television series Empire. His debut album, Shine Through It, was released in September 2008. Description above is from the Wikipedia article Terrence Howard, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 11, 1969 (57)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer and writer
Titles
79 on Motif · 103 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 27% in 30 days

What are Terrence Howard's films like?

Across their 63 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama18 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
24%
Bonds
21%
Self
19%
Society
15%
Survival
9%
Power
7%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds16 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice13 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity12 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship8 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition8 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 58 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 15 · Serious 16 · Dark 27

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 46 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 11 · Charged 26 · Intense 21

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 23 · Shifting 32 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 37 · Some laughs 15 · Funny 6

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 20 · Even-paced 33 · Relentless 5

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 27 · Engaged 24 · Full focus 7

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 15 · Affecting 20 · Heavy 23

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 43 · Open-ended 14 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

39 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 10 of 39 analyzed roles.

Shadow
10 of 39
Mentor
8 of 39
Ally
7 of 39
Hero
7 of 39
Threshold guardian
3 of 39
Trickster
2 of 39
Shapeshifter
1 of 39
Herald
1 of 39
Show the 39 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
38
Melancholic
25
Hopeful
18
Dread
12
Contemplative
15
Other
61

How their films linger

Hopeful30 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet25 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 15 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet35
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous11
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Terrence Howard's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 59 of their 79 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (27).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Terrence Howard's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

103 credits, 79 with a Motif page; 24 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • BFFs(2025)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Crescent City(2024)

    as Brian Sutter

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Shirley(2024)

    as Arthur Hardwick Jr.

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Skeletons in the Closet(2024)

    Writer · as Mark

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist(2024)

    Show as Richard 'Cadillac' Wheeler

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Showdown at the Grand(2023)

    as George Fuller

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Best Man: The Final Chapters(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · as Quentin

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The System(2022)

    as Bones

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Walk(2022)

    as Lamont Robbins

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Flowstate: The FPV Drone Documentary (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • Gully(2019)

    as Mr. Christmas

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Triumph(2021)

    Executive Producer · as Coach Cutting

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Las increíbles aventuras de un Hada Madrina (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 12 episodes · as Genio

  • Cut Throat City(2020)

    as The Saint

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Terrence Howard's Fright Club (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Electric Dreams(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as George

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Fairy Godmother (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    as Genio

  • Cardboard Boxer(2016)

    as Pope

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Term Life(2016)

    as Sheriff Braydon

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Wayward Pines(2015)

    Show 5 episodes · as Sheriff Pope

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Empire(2015)

    Show 102 episodes · as Lucious Lyon

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • St. Vincent(2014)

    as Zucko

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Lullaby(2014)

    as Dr. Crier

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Sabotage(2014)

    as Julius "Sugar" Edmonds

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Best Man Holiday(2013)

    as Quentin

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Prisoners(2013)

    as Franklin Birch

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Butler(2013)

    as Howard

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • House of Bodies(2016)

    as Starks

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Dead Man Down(2013)

    as Alphonse

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Movie 43(2013)

    as Coach Jackson (segment "Victory's Glory")

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Company You Keep(2012)

    as FBI Agent Cornelius

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Croom (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • On the Road(2012)

    as Walter

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Red Tails(2012)

    as Col. A.J. Bullard

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Winnie Mandela(2011)

    as Nelson Mandela

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Ledge(2011)

    Producer · as Hollis Lucetti

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Ghost of New Orleans(2011)

    as Drag Hammerman

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: LA(2010)

    Show 16 episodes · as Jonah Dekker

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Hawaii Five-0(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Billy

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • The Princess and the Frog(2009)

    as James (voice)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Fighting(2009)

    as Harvey Boarden

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • 2008 Philadelphia Phillies: The Official World Series Film (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    as narrator

  • Iron Man(2008)

    as Rhodey

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Holiday(2007)

    as Bah Humbug

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Awake(2007)

    as Dr. Jack Harper

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • August Rush(2007)

    as Richard Jeffries

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Brave One(2007)

    as Detective Mercer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Hunting Party(2007)

    as Duck

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Pride(2007)

    Producer · as Jim Ellis

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Motherland Afghanistan (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    as Narrator

  • Idlewild(2006)

    as Trumpy

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Get Rich or Die Tryin'(2005)

    as Bama

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Four Brothers(2005)

    as Lt. Green

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Hustle & Flow(2005)

    as Djay

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Crash(2004)

    as Cameron Thayer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Animal(2005)

    as Darius Allen

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God(2005)

    as Amos Hicks

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Lackawanna Blues(2005)

    as Bill Crosby

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Salon(2005)

    as Patrick

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Ray(2004)

    as Gossie McGee

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Love Chronicles(2003)

    as T-Roy

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Biker Boyz(2003)

    as Chu Chu (as Terrence Dashon Howard)

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Fastlane(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Alton White

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Street Time (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 13 episodes · as Lucius Mosley

  • Intimate Affairs(2001)

    as Lorenz

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Hart's War(2002)

    as Lt. Lincoln A. Scott

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Glitter(2001)

    as Timothy Walker

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Angel Eyes(2001)

    as Robby

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Boycott(2001)

    as Ralph Abernathy

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Love Beat the Hell Outta Me (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    Executive Producer · as Chris

  • Soul Food (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Benny Jones

  • Big Momma's House(2000)

    as Lester Vesco

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Muhammad Ali: King of the World (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    as Cassius Clay

  • The Best Man(1999)

    as Quentin

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Jonah Dekker

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Best Laid Plans(1999)

    as Jimmy

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Valerie Flake(1999)

    as Hitchhiker

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Mama Flora's Family (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lincoln

  • Butter(1998)

    as Dexter Banks

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Players Club(1998)

    as K.C.

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Spark (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    as Byron

  • Double Tap(1997)

    as Ulysses

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Johns(1996)

    as Jimmy the Warlock

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Sparks (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 40 episodes · as Greg Sparks

  • Sunset Park(1996)

    as Spaceman

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Holland's Opus(1995)

    as Louis Russ

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Dead Presidents(1995)

    as Cowboy

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Lotto Land (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1995)

    as Warren

  • The O.J. Simpson Story(1995)

    as Young A.C.

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • New York Undercover(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Living Single(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Brendan

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Tall Hopes (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 6 episodes · as Chester Harris

  • Who's the Man?(1993)

    as Customer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Jacksons: An American Dream (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jackie Jackson (adult)

  • Family Matters(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as John

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • Coach(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Johnny Williams

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Broken Ones (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Benjamin Drake

  • Miami Nights (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as David Wolfe

  • Selfie (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Movers (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Robert Hartley

  • Turnbuckle (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Executive Producer · Actor

  • Unsung Hollywood (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 102 titles, 96 of them dated from 1989 to 2025; peak year 2006.

Biggest box office

Iron Man (2008)

$586M worldwide

Highest rated

Prisoners (2013)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Empire (2015)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19892025

Peak 2006 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 24 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 2 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting102 of 102: 98 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score50thWriting1 of 102: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing3 of 102: 0 only producing, 3 with another role

102 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1980s2 · acting1990s21 · acting2000s34 · 34 acting · 1 crew2010s26 · acting2020s13 · 13 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 12% of 52 roles
9500051015

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Screen Actors Guild Award and 2 other major awards from 12 major nominations, 2000–2014.

WinNomination
  1. 2014
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  2. 2006
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins and 3 nominations
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Acting Ensemble
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Song
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actor
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Male Lead
  3. 2005
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  4. 2000
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Supporting Male

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Terrence Howard's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 47th percentile, the median of all 66; across their 58 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Midcredits score across 79 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up18
  • 50th to 74th23
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th19

Shape of the crowd

32 of their 79 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic5
  • Crowd Pleaser29
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed32

Most divisive · actor

Gully (2019)

95th percentile spread · 77% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Prisoners (2013)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 54 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 41. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Terrence Howard's work okay for kids?

Across up to 31 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore24 titles40–94 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity31 titles17–61 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity26 titles42–90 · median 73 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs22 titles27–84 · median 45 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense22 titles36–90 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Terrence Howard work with?

People who share at least 2 of Terrence Howard's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Taraji P. Henson shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles