Terrence Howard
Why the actor-turned-singer won't let his kids listen to hip-hop.
by Tammy La Gorce
October 28, 2008
Jim Croce, Don McLean, Cat Stevens, Barry Manilow: It's a favorite singer-songwriters list that only Terrence Howard could reel off without a hint of embarrassment. The green-eyed movie-star-turned-singer's September album, Shine Through It (Sony), is getting glowing reviews and doing for melancholy what DJay, his Oscar-nominated Hustle & Flow character, did for pimping: he convinces you it's not so bad.
Howard is currently touring behind Shine Through It while juggling film work. As many roles as the divorced father of three is playing, he's never too busy to contemplate his role in the lives of his kids. He told Babble all about it. —
Tammy La Gorce
Congratulations on your new record! You wanted to be a singer before you became an actor. Is this something like a dream come true for you?
You know what's so interesting? To get great reviews like this record's getting, all you have to do is make an album that's got some real instruments in it and put some heart into the songs. People are dying for songs with heart, with real truth in them.
You were divorced in 2006 after a fourteen-year marriage that had been tumultuous; you had divorced and remarried your ex-wife once before. You wrote the song "No. 1 Fan" for your ex-wife, right?
I didn't write the song for her, I wrote it for me, but it's about her. I remember when I first played it for her. I still see her on a daily basis, still have dinner over there. I go hang out and watch TV with my kids, go there and hang out together with her. It's really good now — we've found peace being a divorced family."My son truly is my best friend— we play guitar together, we box."
Any chance you'll remarry her again?
I don't think there's enough tissues in the tissue box. For either of us. Sometimes you get together when you're so young, and you're trying to grow but you're not ready for the real responsibilities that come with that lifetime commitment. You damage the foundation to such a degree that the best thing you can do is to be best friends.
You have three kids: Aubrey, fifteen; Hunter, thirteen; and Heavenly, eleven. What's it like being a single dad?
I don't know, because I've only known life this way for the last eight years or so. I mean, separating from my kids had become everyday life for me, because of my work. I've got to go away a lot. So I've modified my schedule to be home with my children. And I've developed such a good relationship with my son (Hunter). My son truly is my best friend. When I'm away we talk on the phone — we play guitar together, we box together on the phone.
You box? Over the phone?
Yeah. We talk. I told him about being scared one time boxing and he said, "Sometimes I feel that way too." I like giving him that little skill under his arm so he can walk a little tougher.
©2008 Tammy La Gorce and Nerve Media
About the Author
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Tammy La Gorce is a freelance entertainment writer living in New Jersey with her son and daughter. Her work regularly appears in The New York Times, GRAMMY and other magazines. |
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