Terrence Howard rejected the chance to play Marvin Gaye because he refused to kiss another man.
The 'Empire' actor admitted the "biggest mistake" of his career was turning down Smokey Robinson's personal request for him to play him in a separate project because he was already in talks with director Lee Daniels to play the 'Let's Get It On' hitmaker.
However, Terrence grew concerned when he heard rumours about Marvin - who married twice and had three children before being shot dead by his father in 1984 at the age of 44 - and his sexuality.
Speaking to Bill Maher on his 'Club Random' podcast, he recalled: “I was over at Quincy Jones’s house, and I’m asking Quincy, ‘I’m hearing rumours that Marvin was gay’ and I’m like, ‘Was he gay?’ And Quincy’s like, ‘Yes.’
“They would’ve wanted to do that [in the film], and I wouldn’t have been able to do that.”
Bill asked: “You mean you couldn’t kiss a guy on screen in a movie?”
His guest replied: “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.”
The 56-year-old actor insisted his decision wasn't a sign he is "homophobic" but he felt he couldn't completely commit to the role.
He said: "It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man...
“I can’t play that character 100%. I can’t surrender myself to a place that I don’t understand.”
Marvin never spoke publicly about his sexuality, but in 2018, late producer Quincy - who died last year aged 91 - claimed the 'What's Going On' singer was one of many high-profile men to have slept with late acting legend Marlon Brando.
He told Vulture: "Marlon used to go cha-cha dancing with us. He could dance his ass off. He was the most charming motherf***er you ever met. He'd f*** anything. Anything! He'd f*** a mailbox. James Baldwin. Richard Pryor. Marvin Gaye."
Asked again whether he knew for certain that they'd all slept with Brandon, Jones responded: "Come on, man. He did not give a f***!"
