Terrence Howard broke down on the witness stand Friday as he testified to signing a settlement agreement because his ex-wife threatened to disclose information that could ruin his Hollywood career.
The "Empire" star was in tears while claiming his former spouse Michelle Ghent left him "terrified" after she blackmailed him of releasing medical records proving he has STD and sex tapes that could terminate his acting job, TMZ reported.
"Michelle was threatening that if I didn't get this mediation, this settlement agreement (signed) she would release to the public that I had herpes and that she would release the videos and audios of me in a very private and intimate place and that I would never be able to work again in this business," the Luscios Lyon actor said referring to their 2012 divorce negotiations.
The 46-year-old is asking Judge Thomas Lewis to undo the settlement, which obliges him to give Ghent $5,800 a month in spousal support and a portion of his "Empire" earnings, on grounds that it was reached under extreme duress, according to NY Daily News.
Terrence Howard's ongoing divorce dispute has prompted 20th Century Fox to seek help from a judge to determine who will receive the actor's "Empire" salary.
This isn't the first time that the people working behind and starring on "Empire" got involved in legal matters.
The FOX hit series also got tangled in a series of lawsuits from people claiming it stole their stories to create some of its important characters.
Show creator Lee Daniels is facing a $300 million lawsuit filed by a woman named Sophia Eggleston, who claimed he stole her life story to create Taraji P. Henson's Cookie Lyon character, International Business Times has learned.
Former gangster Ron Newt , who is the subject of the "Bigger Than Life " documentary also sued the series after he discovered blatant similarities between his life and Luscious Lyon's storyline. He contends to have presented the documentary to Howard before "Empire" went into production.
