Personal drama for Terrence Howard over the summer has started to affect his participation on the Fox drama "Empire" in the early days of season two production. The show will scale back his role as Lucious Lyon due to his "recent divorce drama" and "past domestic abuse allegations" that have sprung up again, according to Page Six.
The storyline that finds Lucious in prison when "Empire" returns this fall will also keep Howard out of the main course of action on the show. The attention will focus to Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and her efforts to take back control of Empire Entertainment along with the continuing storylines of her three sons Andre (Trai Byers), Jamal (Jussie Smollett) and Hakeem (Bryshere Gray).
"What they are doing is two-fold," a source told Page Six. "They have him locked up so you won't be seeing him in as many scenes. But they are bringing in so many, and I mean so many, guest stars and cameos that the average viewer won't realize it because there is so much going."
A Los Angeles judge overturned Howard's divorce settlement to his second wife, Michelle Ghent, earlier this week. Ghent had blackmailed the 46-year-old actor, threatening to release recordings of him dancing naked and having phone sex with other women.
She thought she could get more spousal support due to the success of "Empire," but the judge ruled that the couple will have to renegotiate because she can no longer claim any of his earnings from the show.
Howard also quietly divorced his third wife Mira Pak in March, two months before they welcomed their newborn son Qirin Love. Pak filed the divorce papers in Chicago and cited irreconcilable differences.
Allegations of domestic abuse against his first wife Lori McCommas and ex-girlfriend May Seng Yang have also resurfaced amidst the divorce drama.
Fox had no comment on Howard's reduced role for Page Six.
