Terrence Howard's opinions on science, spirituality, and approach to Hollywood have always been polarizing. The Empire star, who is known for his unorthodox views, recently emerged with comments on how he processes criticism, comparing it to necessary "resistance" that shapes character.During an appearance on Russell Brand's podcast on June 22, 2025, Howard looked back on being called out for having opinions."If you're not being criticized, if you're not facing some kind of headwind, then you're headed in the wrong direction," he said.Drawing from Issac Newton’s Third Law, Terrence Howard added:"You have to have some kind of resistance. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and that reaction creates the resistance, and that resistance creates our character."Howard opined that even negative attention serves a purpose. He expressed that the more attention he received—whether negative or positive—everyone would eventually return to the "creator."His outlook is largely spiritual, considering challenges to be tests of faith, rather than losses. “We're just Gods unaware of our divinity,” he reflected, referring to a woman he admired for withstanding tragedy without bitterness.Terrence Howard explains why he turned down the Marvin Gaye biopic roleTerrence Howard attends Peacock's "Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist" World Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on September 04, 2024, in New York City. (Image via Getty)Terrence Howard recently revealed his reason for walking away from a Marvin Gaye biopic after discovering the musician's sexual preferences. Speaking on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast on April 27, 2025, Howard stated that his decision to turn down the role was based on personal preference rather than prejudice.The Empire actor revealed he was initially happy to be a part of the film, which was to be directed by Lee Daniels. However, his perspective changed after a conversation with music producer Quincy Jones.“I was over at Quincy Jones’s house, and I’m asking Quincy, ‘I’m hearing rumours that Marvin was gay’ and I’m like, ‘Was he gay?’ And Quincy’s like, ‘Yes.’”As soon as Jones confirmed those rumors, Howard knew he couldn’t take on the role. He stressed that his rejection was not based on homophobia, but authenticity in acting."They would've wanted to do that [a love scene], and I wouldn't have been able to do that," he told Maher.When pressed on whether he would ever kiss a man on screen, Terrence Howard responded:"No, because I don’t fake it. That would f**k me, I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.”The actor explained he didn’t feel like he could do justice to a role when he didn’t connect firsthand to a character’s experience. He added that he couldn’t "play that character 100%" or surrender himself to a place he didn’t understand.Terrence Howard previously turned down a Smokey Robinson biopic, which he called his "biggest mistake", and has been vocal about his unconventional beliefs, from mathematics to spirituality.