AceShowbiz - Terrence Howard, known for his standout roles in "Empire" and "Hustle & Flow", discussed with Bill Maher regrets that still linger in his career, one of which was turning down the chance to play Smokey Robinson -a role the music legend personally requested Howard to take.

The catch? Howard was initially in talks with director Lee Daniels about playing another Motown giant, Marvin Gaye.

"Smokey Robinson invited me to dinner years ago because 'he wanted me to play his life' in a film," Howard shared. However, the actor turned down Robinson's offer, hoping to embody Marvin Gaye instead.

For Howard, the biggest mistake was not taking up Robinson's project. Yet, despite Bill Maher's assurance that Gaye's life story was "much more interesting," Howard didn't portray Gaye either.

The actor's decision was upended after hearing rumors about Marvin Gaye's sexuality from none other than Quincy Jones.

Uncomfortable with the idea of portraying a LGBTQ role, Howard felt he couldn't commit to the role fully. "They would've wanted to do that, and I wouldn't have been able to do that," Howard explained.

When Maher asked if he couldn't handle kissing another man on screen, Howard's response was clear, "No. Because I don't fake it. That would f*** me. I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off."

Howard was adamant that his decision was rooted in acting methods rather than prejudice. "It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man," he said. "I can't play that character 100 percent. I can't surrender myself to a place that I don't understand."

While Marvin Gaye's sexuality has never been firmly established, Quincy Jones once suggested a relationship between Gaye and Hollywood star Marlon Brando. Despite these revelations, Gaye, who was married twice and a father to two children, never publicly commented on his sexuality.