After learning that actor Terrence Howard claims he was paid only $12,000 for his Oscar-nominated role in the 2005 film “Hustle & Flow” as DJay and says he has not received royalties for his contributions to the film’s soundtrack, hip-hop and entertainment mogul 50 Cent went to social media outraged.
Sharing a clip of Howard from a local news station on social media, 50 Cent said he is prepared to give Howard a helping hand.
Howard’s Hollywood Problem
“I made $12,000 for doing ‘Hustle & Flow,’” Howard told Memphis news station WREG. “What Paramount did, instead of putting my name as ‘Terrence Howard’ performing the songs, they put ‘performed by DJay.’ Well, they owned DJay.”
Another financial setback for Howard occurred with his portrayal of Cameron Thayer in the Oscar-winning film “Crash,” where he says he earned only $6,000. This was particularly challenging as both “Hustle & Flow” and “Crash” were released in the same year.
Despite his success in acclaimed and box office hits like “Ray,” “Four Brothers,” and 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” Howard felt compelled to speak out about his financial insecurities.
In a 2007 interview, Howard disclosed that his role in “Hustle & Flow” led to financial losses and had significant repercussions for his family due to the sacrifices he made to accept the role.
“But with the loss of anonymity comes a gain in audience,” he told The Orange County Register. “You suddenly make a lot more money so you can take care of your family. At the same time, you’re working so much, you don’t have enough time to spend with your family.”
50 Cent is now vowing to secure the actor “millions” if he works with him.
As Finurah previously reported, 50 Cent has made a similar offer to Taraji P. Henson after she publicly decried, while on a press tour for “The Color Purple,” released on Christmas Day 2023, that she was receiving lowball compensation for movie roles as well.
Before he offered to help Howard, 50 Cent, the creator and producer of Starz’s “Power” and “BMF” series, said he would help Henson get a salary worthy of her caliber. Having had Mary J. Blige star as Monet Stewart Tejada on “Power Book II: Ghost,” 50 Cent says he fought for Blige to be paid well.
Howard and Henson, both lead characters in the hit Fox series “Empire” and co-stars in “Hustle & Flow,” were reportedly paid less than their contemporaries on similar network shows. On top of this, both claim their management failed to capitalize on their TV fame during the “Empire” show’s peak popularity.
Vibe Magazine reports that Howard sued his former agency, CAA, over pay disparity on “Empire,” alleging he was paid less than other lead actors on similarly popular shows. The lawsuit claims that CAA did not act in Howard’s best interest due to a conflict of interest, as they also represented the show’s co-creators and the production company, Variety.
His pay on “Empire” ranged from $125,000 to $325,000 per episode as Lucius Lyon.
