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Terrence Howard did not want to get it on in a Marvin Gaye biopic. The Empire alum said he turned down playing the late music icon in a movie because the role likely required him to kiss a man. "I wouldn't have been able to do that," Howard admitted on the April 27 episode of Bill Maher 's Club Random podcast .
"That would f--k me. I would cut my lips off." He continued, "If I kissed a man, I would cut my lips off.
" The 56-year-old went on to explain that he wouldn't have been able to "fake it," noting, "I can't play that character 100 percent." Howard added, "I can't surrender myself to a place that I don't understand." Gaye died at age 44 after being shot by his dad Marvin Gay Sr.
in 1984. During his life, he was married to Anna Gordy from 1963 to 1977 and to Janis Hunter from 1977 to 1982. Though Gaye was not openly queer, Howard believes filmmakers would've wanted to explore his rumored homosexuality in the biopic.
To get a deeper sense of Gaye's character, the Fight Night actor said he spoke to his "What's Going On" collaborator Quincy Jones —who died from pancreatic cancer in November —before ultimately passing on the role. “I was over at Quincy Jones' house and I'm asking Quincy, 'I’m hearing rumors that Marvin was gay,' and I’m like, 'Was he gay?'" Howard recalled. "And Quincy's like, ‘Yes.
'" But for Howard, the "biggest mistake" of his career was turning down the role of Smokey Robinson in another movie. "Smokey Robinson brought me over to come have dinner with him, and he wanted me to play his life," Howard shared, explaining he had to pass on the offer because he was already in talks with the producers of the Gaye biopic at the time. "Because I had given my word as a man," he continued, "Smokey, I had to tell him at the table—and it broke his heart.
" While Howard ended up passing on both biopics, keep reading to see the celebs who did play real-life stars. Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan The Wonka star played the legendary folk singer-songwriter in the film A Complete Unknown . The English actress transformed into one of Hollywood's most celebrated sex symbols, Pamela Anderson , for the upcoming Hulu miniseries, Pam & Tommy .
The actor dropped jaws after showing off his epic makeover as the Mötley Crüe rock star, Tommy Lee . Sebastian will play the musician for the new Hulu miniseries, Pam & Tommy . The actress portrayed the late Tejano star and Mexican American legend, Selena Quintanilla , for the Netflix show, Selena: The Series .
Andra Day earned her first Golden Globe win for her role as the iconic singer in the biopic, The United States Vs. Billie Holiday . The Oscar winner and chameleon extraordinaire had fans doing a double-take when the trailer for Bombshell first premiered.
In it, Charlize stars alongside Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie as the Fox News employees who helped take Roger Ailes ' career down after he was accused of sexual misconduct. In Rocketman , the British actor played one of the most iconic musicians in the history of rock 'n' roll. The singer and actress will take on the role of playing the Queen of Soul in an upcoming biopic about her life.
It's set to release in August 2021. After Natalie Portman dropped out, Felicity stepped in to play the late Supreme Court Justice in On the Basis of Sex , a biopic directed by Mimi Leder . The actress produced and starred in I, Tonya , based on the disgraced figure skater's life.
The actor played the civil rights leader opposite Bryan Cranston as President Lyndon B. Johnson in HBO's All the Way . The Oscar winner stepped into the shoes of the late movie legend in Feud , Ryan Murphy 's FX series about the making of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane ? The Dead Man Walking star played the acting legend in Feud .
The Oscar-nominated actor portrayed the famed inventor of the light bulb in Current War . The British actor starred as the late country singer in the 2015 film, I Saw the Light . The Lovesick star played the late rock legend in the 2020 biopic, Stardust .
Parker Sawyers played the former president in Southside With You , a romantic dramedy loosely based on Barack's first date with Michelle Obama back in 1989. Tika Sumpter starred as the former First Lady in Southside With You . "She was a groundbreaking woman, so ahead of her time.
It's such an honor to play her," Odette previously told E! News of her Astronaut Wives Club character, who was an extremely skilled pilot in her own right. The Scandal star took on the role of the aide who accused U.S.
Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual assault in 1991 in HBO's biopic Confirmation . The Oscar nominee starred in The Founder , a biopic about the founder of the McDonald's empire. The Kardashians are headed to TV in a very different after being portrayed in Ryan Murphy 's American Crime Story: The People V O.
J. Simpson . Selma Blair played Kris Jenner , who was married to Simpson's attorney Robert Kardashian .
The Unbroken star was set to take on the role of the late designer in a film about his life. However, in 2020, it was announced he is being replaced. The actress and model played the late legendary singer in a Lifetime biopic.
The Les Misérables heartthrob won the Oscar after portraying Hawking in Theory of Everything . In The Kennedys miniseries, Katie Holmes channeled the former First Lady and one of America's most fashionable public figures. The Oscar-winning actress stepped into the regal shoes of the Hollywood legend turned princess for Grace of Monaco .
The 27-year-old star played Jamie Lee Curtis ' famous mom in Hitchcock , which focused on the making of Alfred Hitchcock 's Psycho . The former Private Pactice starlet portrayed the late Playboy model in the Lifetime upcoming biopic, The Anna Nicole Story . The 34-year-old star played the late Apple co-founder in the indie flick Jobs .
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