Actor Terrence Howard has expanded his legal battle against his former talent agency, alleging that its representatives failed to inform him about lucrative business opportunities connected to the hit television series Empire.
Howard, who previously sued the agency over the handling of his salary negotiations for the FOX drama, claims he was not provided with all the information he needed before making decisions about his contract.
According to court filings, Howard said his agents requested that FOX increase his salary to $750,000 per episode, but the network allegedly declined, saying it could not offer more than $325,000 per episode.
Howard further alleged that his agents failed to tell him that representatives behind the Empire fragrance brand had discussed a potential partnership involving a Terrence Howard-branded fragrance. He claimed the proposed deal included a $20,000 payment for a launch event, future paid promotional appearances, an opportunity to appear on the Home Shopping Network (HSN) and the possibility of launching his own signature men’s fragrance line.
Howard argues that the omission meant he was forced to make decisions about his contract without knowing about the additional commercial opportunities that were allegedly available to him, and says the agency failed to act in his best interests.
CAA has denied the allegations and is seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed. The agency argues, among other things, that Howard’s claims were filed after the applicable statute of limitations had expired.