Terrence Howard, the star of the hit show Empire, has filed a lawsuit against talent agency CAA, alleging breach of fiduciary duty. According to Howard, CAA asked him to accept a lower salary for his role as music mogul Lucious Lyon on the show. The actor voiced his claims at a recent press conference, where he also discussed the racial undertones of his experience.
Howard argues that CAA did not act in his best interest because they represented the producers of Empire in a package deal that was financially beneficial for the agency. His legal strategy asserts that CAA had a profit participation stake through the package, which influenced their decision to push for a higher salary. However, since 2020, talent agencies receiving packaging fees on TV series has been largely prohibited due to efforts by the Writers Guild of America to reform the practice.
In addition, Howard believes that race may have played a role in the salary discrepancy he experienced. He highlighted that he couldn’t imagine a white counterpart with similar accolades and achievements receiving such a low salary. The actor expressed his frustration at not being properly compensated and his initial reluctance to challenge CAA and Fox, the network behind Empire.
Despite Empire gaining more viewers than popular sitcom Big Bang Theory, Howard claims he was paid significantly less than Jim Parsons, the star of the latter show. His salary for Empire reportedly ranged from $125,000 to $325,000 per episode.
The press conference was held at the offices of the Cochran Firm in Los Angeles, with Howard being represented by lawyers James Bryan and Brian Dunn from that firm, along with Carlos Moore from the Carlos Moore Law Group.
This legal battle between Terrence Howard and CAA raises important issues surrounding fair compensation for actors and the influence of talent agencies in the entertainment industry. As the case progresses, the outcome could have significant repercussions for how actors negotiate their salaries in the future.
