When you were talking to pimps, was there any one specific thing they told you that influenced your outlook on DJay:
“Well for most of them that I talked to I had a series of questions. The first one was, ‘Why do you do this?’ The second one was, ‘What made you do this?’ And the third one was, ‘What did you want to do before this?’
Each and every one of them said, ‘When I was a kid I had dreams. I was gonna do this thing, I was gonna shake up the world. I was gonna conquer everything, you know? I was gonna demonstrate something. I was gonna show them something new.’ They were all dreamers.
Can you imagine what it takes to be able to make someone… To paint a happy picture of a very dark and dungeonous world? To make some girl feel safe to go and live that life because that’s all they have left to sell. The gift, the proverbial gift of gab – someone would have to have the ability to paint pictures and illustrations and illusions that can draw the reality and truth in people’s heart – to be silver-tongued? Captivate? You know, that’s an amazing gift. They could rule and heal the world at the same time if given the opportunity.”
It’s fascinating to listen to you talk about everything you went through and learned for this film. And then on top of all that, you also had to research the musical influences of the film.
“Yeah, that was a whole other animal.”
Two and a half years hardly sounds like enough time to do all that…
“Well, we found it, you know. We had to give a 60 minute talk in 30 minutes. We found it.”
Were you aware of that particular world before you took on “Hustle & Flow?”
“Yeah. I was aware of it in passing through these disenfranchised neighborhoods. You wonder how did that person live from day to day? What are their dreams and what don’t they have?
You know, I could never just turn a blind eye. I looked in the eye of many a pimp that was driving down the street and many a prostitute. We all see them, but some of us choose to ignore them and don’t look at them like life’s little flowers that maybe have a little mud on them right now.”
What exactly was it that grabbed you and held your interest over the years, that really made you stick it out? Was it the character’s arc?
“It was who he was, man. I think I couldn’t - until you added the other actors together you don’t know what type of bridge you really have to make. You don’t know where the trust lies along the life of the character; so you don’t know the finish of the arc. You don’t know its height yet. But you trust the vision of the director and the director seemed to want to assassinate a stereotype.”
Why was Craig Brewer the right man to try and assassinate stereotypes?
“I don’t know why he received that gift, but he has it. He truly has it.”
John Singleton produced “Hustle & Flow” and directed you in “Four Brothers.” What’s that relationship like?
“The relationship is one of great admiration for a man who bet upon a horse that no one else [did] - a long shot. That’s my appreciation right now. He bet on a long shot when no one else would and he bet a huge purse. So I can’t have anything but the deepest gratitude for him – to time indefinite. Because he said he would change my life.”
And he has?
“Oh yes, yes, yes, yes.”
I was just reading where Chris Rock and Will Smith are both predicting that come Oscar time, your name’s going to be listed with the Oscar nominees for Best Actor. Is hearing something like that intimidating or is it validating?
“That’s funny… Well, I’d heard that it was ‘Crash’ that everyone was talking about.”
I just read something that said they were talking about this role.
“Oh, thank you, that’s great!”
Well, don’t you think it’s possible? You’ve seen the movies that are out there. You know what the other films and roles are like. DJay’s a fantastic role and one of the best roles for a male lead this year.
“Is that what you’re predicting right now?”
Yes, I am predicting that right now.
“Okay you go, Ali! First round knockout!”
But when it comes to awards, are they validating or intimidating?
“I don’t know. I guess everybody wants to hold the belt up just once in their life. Everybody wants to be in the middle of the ring and scream into the camera, ‘Ma, I did it!’”
You’ve got a lot of good roles under your belt, but this year is The Year of Terrence Howard.
“Oh…like ‘The Year of the Cat?’ Can I quote you on that?”
You can quote me on anything you want.
“I’m gonna quote you on that one, too. I like that. ‘The Year of Terrence Howard.’”
Do you feel that way?
“I haven’t had time to stop and look at everything – all the work that I’ve done. I’m so busy building right now but in a minute, you know, I’ll have to sit back and take a better overview of my life and career. Find a higher vantage point - a more relaxed vantage point - and I can see what work there is left to be done.”
Page 4: Terrence Howard on Reviews of His Work and Upcoming Projects
