Terrence Howard Loses ‘Empire’ Pay Lawsuit as Judge Sides With CAA

Terrence Howard has lost his fight with CAA.

A judge has dismissed the actor’s lawsuit accusing the agency of costing him millions on ‘Empire.’

Full story below…

Why the Case Collapsed

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Cherol Nellon ruled on July 31 that the alleged damages were simply too speculative for trial.

The reasoning came down to structure. Fox paid Howard’s loan-out company, Universal Bridges, which then paid him a fixed salary. Any negotiated increase, the court found, would have landed with the company rather than automatically with him.

The judge also noted that Fox held the final say and had rejected every attempt at renegotiation.

What Howard Alleged

Howard sued in 2023, claiming his agents had a conflict of interest. CAA also represented co-creators Lee Daniels and Danny Strong plus production company Imagine Entertainment, bundling them into a single package deal.

He started at $125,000 per episode and never exceeded $325,000, despite the show ranking among the most watched on network television. His 2019 request to reach $750,000 went nowhere.

Notably, he framed the dispute in racial terms, telling Rolling Stone he could not imagine a white actor with a show with comparable ratings receiving the same treatment. His attorney went further, predicting discovery would establish racism.

That claim now goes untested.

The Wider Picture

Co-lead Taraji P. Henson has spoken repeatedly about pay inequity facing Black actresses, including on ‘Empire’ itself.

CAA has not commented.