Top 74 Quotes & Sayings by Terrence Howard

I don't have any love for this business or the game or for acting. This is my day job.

My life's experiences, I've always had, my uncle used to call it antenna. I know what's going to happen oftentimes before it happened when it's involving me.

I've always had a natural fear of the police, or abuse of their power.

As a child our dreams got scattered all about and all our future prospects got scattered to so many places, and we spend our lives trying to find the little pieces that make up our lives and make up the dreams that we had as a child that got blown away in the windstorm.

No, most of the decisions that I make with regard to taking roles, I just look for something that's challenging, something that I think I can accomplish, you know.

And, so yeah, I'll always want to work in independent films because you're not forced into a category or a formula.

I can't tell you if one day I'll be standing up there with an Oscar or directing, but I am going to be the best human being I possibly can.

I'm trying to make enough money where I can be financially independent and be able to go and just pursue that thing that everybody really needs, just pursue my family and the cause of my family.

You just drop a character like this that and the other and it's done.

In every person we meet there's this little piece of God in them and that's who you talk to. And that's the only person that you allow to talk to you. When something else is speaking, you walk away from that. If it's not good, if it's not love, you walk away from it.

The purpose of my life is being a father to my kids and being a husband to my wife.

I just wanted to be a scientist.

Every role you play is literally - and I've said this before - every single role that you play, the only way you can connect to that character is because that was a piece of you that was scattered around that yard, almost like we got caught up in some whirlwind.

Every little job becomes a dream, and you don't recall it anymore, and maybe you might have a deja vu moment, but it's like something you dreamed earlier.

We call the Creator father, because we rely upon Him to protect us, guide us, feed us, keep us warm, to discipline us and all those things. I try to take my cue from the Creator, with regard to my children.

Every one of us is an artist, and as an artist, you really can stroll into any venue that you want, as long as you take your time to learn the etiquette of that venue.

Don't just view me as an actor.

We both can be the most beautiful and benevolent creatures on the planet, but then there's another side that can be as harsh and as ugly as the darkest thing you could imagine seeing.

The only thing that really matters in the initial part of my career, the worst mistake I've ever made was try to do things to please the audience thinking how the audience is going to respond if I do this.

Sometimes the only way to make palatable that which is appalling and apprehensive is to season it with some humor.

I ad lib. I've gotta bring my own into it.

When you hear buzz around the beehive, you know they're making honey in there.

Every artist has to grow, and has to challenge themselves with a new form of expression.

All the things we have to remember, and I've mentioned this before, is that we're all artists.

And when I stopped doing that and started thinking about what feels natural and what feels right to me and started pleasing myself, then it became good.

The difference with Cleveland is that the racial tension was not a casual taste of it. It was outlandish.

The reason that I'm an actor, or an artist, is ultimately because I'm trying to paint a self-portrait, and the most complete and beautiful self-portrait that you can.

I don't think President Obama has been that revolutionary in reaching out to ethnic communities. President Reagan did a lot for the black community that people don't realize.

And I'm very surprised that all this stuff actually worked out to where I could have a career in film, gain the benefit of my education, and be thankful that I was able to break into my craft as an actor.

I like to watch mankind in its futile attempt to understand the unknown, when they don't even understand that which they know.

And right now I may just be living inside the heart of the body, and I one day hope to move to the brain.

So I show appreciation for the little gifts that have been handed to me.

My future's about trying to be a better man.

I am an engineer, but what I find important and necessary is that you just learn things as you go along.

If evolution works, why are monkeys still around?

The most important thing I can teach my kids is that you can't put your value in looks. Presence is based upon magnitude. You can pretend to have an air about you but it is quickly deflated, you cannot deflate presence. Presence walks into a room and surrounds and fills anything that's in that room without trying to demand it, it takes over. It can come from a smile. Like I said, love makes you beautiful. What is beautiful radiates.

I've always had a natural fear of the police, or abuse of their power

Having gandchildren you see the world through much broader perspectives. And you're more aware of your actions your thoughts and how it will affect your family. And the families around your family. You have to be a lot more careful. But you also relax a little bit. Because, you know, you've done your duty. I've reproduced and my reproductions have reproduced.

As a child our dreams got scattered all about and all our future prospects got scattered to so many places, and we spend our lives trying to find the little pieces that make up our lives and make up the dreams that we had as a child that got blown away in the windstorm

It's just me and my guitar, and the rhythm's from there, and the poetry of life.

I can't tell you if one day I'll be standing up there with an Oscar or directing, but I am going to be the best human being I possibly can

If a relationship is built on sexuality, it won't last long.

You keep knocking on the devil's door long enough and sooner or later someone's gonna answer you.

My father always said that if you want oranges, you have to go to where the oranges grow.

I want to be the condensation on the glass. I want to be that phenomenon that takes place between hot and cold.

There's a scripture in the Book of James which says, 'Become a doer of the word and not a hearer only.' A hearer is someone who looks into a mirror, walks away, and quickly forgets what sort of person he is.

There's also a part of me that's self-destructive, and another part that's a hero who's going to stand up for a principle.

In the Twenties, it wasn't a remarkable thing for a singer to be an actor, or even to be involved in politics. If this is our roots, how can you blame the branches for following the course of the roots.

I like women who look like me. Generally, you're attracted to women who look like you, because the most beautiful thing in nature is your own reflection.

If you're not going to do your job, get out of here. Don't mess up my work. This is how I feed my family.

My future's about trying to be a better man

In every person we meet there's this little piece of God in them and that's who you talk to. And that's the only person that you allow to talk to you. When something else is speaking, you walk away from that. If it's not good, if it's not love, you walk away from it

Dating black women will ruin your life

But George Lucas is carrying about Black actors, about Black men, about Black history, which really incorporates and tells all of history. You can't take one race out without eliminating every other race if you're going to tell the story of the human race.

I just wanted to be a scientist

The truth is, the personal ends up becoming part of your professional. As an actor, much of your work happens at home as you try things out on your family. Sometimes you stay in character unbeknownst to you and keep practicing.

Toilet paper - and no baby wipes - in the bathroom. If they're using dry paper, they aren't washing all of themselves. It's just unclean. So if I go in a woman's house and see the toilet paper there, I'll explain this. And if she doesn't make the adjustment to baby wipes, I'll know she's not completely clean.

There's nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade. Some things have to be exposed.

There's no excuse to hit a woman... Ever. Not even in a movie role, because you might really like it. And then what?

Every artist has to grow, and has to challenge themselves with a new form of expression