Yikes! Terrence Howard and his wife, Mira Pak, had a cringeworthy exchange on the Emmys 2016 red carpet on Sunday, September 18, in L.A. during an interview with Giuliana Rancic. Watch the clip above to see how it went down!
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The 47-year-old actor, who is nominated for his role as music mogul Lucious Lyon on Empire, explained why he’s been out of the spotlight lately.
Terrence Howard and his wife, Mira Pak attend the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards. Rex/Shutterstock
“You have to go to a dark place to find a character like Lucious. You try to figure out how you’re going to play him and you’re not really ready to talk about him,” he said. “Now I feel more comfortable about him.”
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When Rancic asked him to share more about his character, Howard’s answer was bleeped out when he replied, “He’s an a--hole.”
Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Trai Byers, Bryshere Gray and Jussie Smollett of Empire. Fox via Getty Images
The E! News host then asked Pak, “Does he bring his character home with him?” to which she responded with a laugh, “He does, quite often, actually.”
Social media users were quick to bring up past domestic abuse allegations against Howard after Pak’s comment. “VERRRY awkward hearing noted domestic abuser Terrence Howard’s wife say he brings his Empire character ‘home with him often,’” one tweeter wrote, while another added, “That awkward moment when Terrence Howard’s wife says he brings his character home with him and no one knows what to say for a second.”
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He briefly addressed the allegations in a Rolling Stone interview in 2015, particularly an altercation with his first wife, Lori McCommas, in 2001. “She was talking to me real strong, and I lost my mind and slapped her in front of the kids,” he said. “Her lawyer said it was a closed fist, but even slapping her was wrong.”
On a lighter note, Howard discussed with Rancic why the couple chose the name Hero for their son, who they welcomed last month. “You get two gifts in the world. You get from your parents, life, the first one and a name, which is the second one. The second one lasts longer than the first,” he said. “We should take the time to give our children a name that they can live up to, you know? So that’s why we chose Hero.”
Pak is Howard’s third wife, and they also share son Qirin.
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