He was not ready for a certain kind of sexual healing.
Terrence Howard passed on the chance to play Marvin Gaye in a biopic because he would have had to film gay scenes.
The “Empire” alum recalled having a “conversation with Lee Daniels about playing” Gaye years ago at the same time that Smokey Robinson approached him “to play his life” in a movie.
However, after shutting Robinson down, he told Bill Maher on Sunday’s episode of “Club Random” that he also declined to portray Gaye after finding out that the late singer’s alleged bisexuality.
“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, 56, recalled on the podcast.
After Jones said yes, the “Hustle & Flow” actor decided that he “could not” play the role.
“They would’ve wanted to do that, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that,” he said.
And when Maher asked if he “couldn’t kiss a guy on screen in a movie,” Howard told him, “No. Because I don’t fake it.”
“That would f–k me,” the “Iron Man” star added. “I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.”
Howard reiterated that he couldn’t “play that character 100 percent” because he can’t “surrender” himself to a role he doesn’t “understand.”
He also expressed his regret for turning Robinson down.
While there were rumors about Gaye’s sexuality, there is no definitive evidence to confirm that he was attracted to men.
The two-time Grammy winner was married to Anna Gordy from 1963 to 1977 and Janis Hunter from 1977 to 1981.
In April 1984, Gaye was shot to death by his father, Marvin Gay, Sr., during a family argument. He was 44.
Earlier this month, Howard revealed that he shot down an alleged romantic advance from Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is facing federal sex trafficking charges and a host of sexual assault lawsuits.
“Puffy invited me, for weeks, asking me to come teach him how to — wanted me to be his acting coach for a while,” he alleged on the “PBD Podcast” earlier this month.
However, the “Pride” actor claimed that when he would visit the Bad Boy Records founder to work on acting material, Combs would just be “sitting” and “looking” at him.
Howard said he asked his assistant for clarity about the record producer’s weird behavior.
The Oscar nominee’s assistant allegedly responded, “‘I think he’s trying to f–k you,’” which prompted Howard to end all communication with Combs, 55.
“I’ve lost businesses because I don’t bend over in that way. I don’t compromise,” he declared.
“I don’t play gay roles. I don’t kiss a man. I don’t do that s–t because the man card means everything.”
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