Terrence Howard has come up short in his lengthy legal fight against Creative Artists Agency (CAA) after a California judge dismissed the actor’s lawsuit accusing the agency of mishandling his Empire contract and prioritizing its own interests over his.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the decision brings an end to a case Howard originally filed in 2023, in which he claimed CAA failed to negotiate the level of compensation and benefits he felt he was entitled to while playing Lucious Lyon on Fox’s hit series. Howard also alleged that the agency had a conflict of interest since it represented Empire co-creators Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, as well as production company Imagine Entertainment.
Howard also alleged that his agents failed to inform him about business opportunities connected to the series, including talks surrounding a Terrence Howard-branded fragrance, paid promotional deals, and a possible partnership with the Home Shopping Network.
However, the court ruled that Howard was unable to prove those alleged mistakes resulted in any measurable financial losses. In her decision, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Cherol Nellon explained that any additional compensation secured from Fox would have gone to Howard’s loan-out company, Universal Bridges, rather than directly to the actor.
“The immediate economic result of an increase in compensation would have been an increase in revenue to Universal Bridges only,” the judge wrote.
The court further determined there was no evidence that CAA’s negotiation approach would have changed the final outcome. According to the ruling, the agency did attempt to renegotiate Howard’s contract, but Fox rejected every proposal. The judge noted that Fox “rejected all attempts at renegotiation,” making Howard’s claims about possible outcomes too uncertain to justify moving forward with a trial.
CAA described the ruling as a full confirmation of its position. “CAA is gratified that the Court summarily dismissed Mr. Howard’s case prior to trial,” a representative for the agency said. “This confirms CAA’s position from the beginning: that the agency advocated for its client and always acted in good faith.”
The agency argued that the evidence “directly contradicted the very foundation” of Howard’s lawsuit, showing that it had made repeated attempts to renegotiate his contract before Fox ultimately turned them down.
The dismissal brings an end to a legal battle that grew over the course of three years. Howard originally disputed his reported $325,000-per-episode salary on Empire, claiming he should have received profit participation and promotional opportunities comparable to stars from acclaimed shows like House of Cards and Mad Men.
In later claims, he accused his agents of failing to disclose discussions involving an Empire-themed fragrance, which reportedly included a $20,000 launch event, future paid appearances, a potential HSN segment, and the opportunity to create his own men’s fragrance brand.
The lawsuit played out during a period when Howard was also making headlines through several revealing interviews about his career and personal experiences. During an appearance on the PBD Podcast, the Oscar-nominated actor admitted that his own outspoken and confrontational nature may have contributed to missed opportunities, including losing his role in Iron Man 2.
Howard also opened up about experiencing sexual abuse as a child, explaining that the trauma influenced his relationships and contributed to the protective way he raises his children.
