When actor Terrence Howard was locked in salary negotiations for“Empire,”he thought his agents at CAA had his back. Turns out, they may have left some serious money on the table — and he’s now alleging they did it by keeping him in the dark.
In a new legal filing, Howard claims his former representatives failed to inform him about a major opportunity: a potential Terrence-branded“Empire”fragrance deal that would’ve included a $20K payday for a launch event, future paid appearances, an HSN appearance, and a possible men’s signature-fragrance venture. Those are the kinds of ancillary deals that can add up fast, especially for a lead actor on a hit show.
Here’s where it gets messy. During contract talks with FOX for his role as Lucious Lyon on“Empire,”Howard’s agents asked for $750K per episode. FOX countered with $325K per episode — and according to Howard, that’s where the conversation ended. But he now claims the agency never told him the fragrance representatives had dangled that additional opportunity in front of them. Had he known about it, the calculus on accepting FOX’s offer might’ve looked completely different.
CAA, for its part, isn’t backing down. They’re pushing to get the case thrown out, arguing in part that Howard’s claims fall outside the statute of limitations. It’s a legal move that doesn’t address the substance of his allegations, but it keeps the case in procedural limbo.
What makes this interesting isn’t just the money — it’s the question of whether an agent’s job is to simply relay offers or actively connect the dots between opportunities on behalf of their client. The fragrance deal representation had the intel. The salary negotiators were in the room with FOX. Whether those two pieces of information should’ve been in conversation is exactly what Howard’s lawsuit is trying to answer.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.