Terrence Howard recently spoke out about how actors don’t make much money in the business and revealed how much he made from the hit movie “Hustle & Flow.”
While speaking with WREG News Channel 3 last week, the ‘Empire’ actor explained how he didn’t know much about the business when he was coming up. During the conversation the interviewer asked Howard if he knew that movie was going to be a hit. “No check this,” Howard responded. “I made $12,000 for doing Hustle & Flow and then on top of that what paramount did, instead of putting my name as Terrence Howard performing the songs they put performed by DJay.” Which was his characters role in the 2005 movie. “Guess what they owned DJay so the performance royalties went to paramount,” Howard explained.
Of course the interviewer was shocked once he heard that information and Terrence went on to say, “now I got to sue paramount and send them a letter. I got to send them a letter and say ‘hey you guys owe me about 20 years worth of residuals and performance royalties but I didn’t know. I was just trying to pay my rent then.” He also stated that he only made $6,000 for his role in the movie Crash. “The business don’t pay actors anything.”
“Hustle & Flow” received positive reviews and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.” The film’s success was notable, particularly for its engaging story and strong performances, contributing to its positive reception.
Terrence Howard has had a diverse career in acting, spanning film, television, and theater. He gained acclaim for roles in movies like “Hustle & Flow,” “Crash,” and “Iron Man.” Additionally, he starred in the TV series “Empire.” While successful, his career has seen some ups and downs, with reported conflicts and exits from projects. Howard is recognized for his talent, but his journey in the industry has been marked by both achievements and challenges.