November 16th 2023.
In 2005, Terrence Howard starred in the Memphis-based film Hustle & Flow. Despite his captivating performance and the movie's success at the box office, earning $22 million in the US and Canada, Howard was paid an incredibly low salary of $12,000. During a recent interview on WREG's Live at 9, the 54-year-old actor revealed the details that led to the shockingly low sum.
According to Howard, Paramount Pictures used a subtle loophole to avoid paying him performance royalties. Instead of listing his name as the performer of the songs, they credited the character 'Djay', which they owned. Howard is now suing the studio for nearly 20 years of back royalties.
When asked why he accepted such a low fee, Howard said he was simply trying to pay his rent at the time. He went on to file a lawsuit against 20th Century Fox in 2020 accusing them of using his likeness from Hustle & Flow to promote the Lee Daniels series he starred in, Empire. Howard says he never sat down for a photoshoot so he wondered how the image was obtained, and ultimately determined it was taken from the scene in which the song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" is being recorded in a studio.
Despite the 2005 Academy Award for Three Six Mafia, it is clear that Terrence Howard should have been properly compensated for his role in the film. Howard is now seeking what he's owed from two different studios for the iconic role he played, and with any luck, he will get the royalties he is owed.
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