Terry Crews Responds to Terrence Howard’s Criticism of Low-Paying Acting Work: ‘You Can’t Nod Yes and Mean No’

In a recent interview with Shannon Sharpe, Terry Crews also looked back on how he landed a life-altering appearance in ‘Training Day.’

Images via Getty/Todd Williamson / NBCUniversal & Getty/Kevin Winter

Terry Crews has given his take on the recent coverage of pay-related controversies, specifically Terrence Howard’s allegations regarding how he was compensated for Hustle & Flow.

As previously reported, Howard has also spoken out about his time on Empire, alleging he was underpaid in a 2023 lawsuit against CAA. As for Hustle & Flow, the actor said in an interview last year that he received just $12,000 for the Oscar-winning film.

Asked about Howard during his recent interview with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay, Crews explained that while he understands “what Terrence is saying,” he feels differently about low-paying work in general.

“First of all, and I understand what Terrence is saying, but I have never ever ever looked at whatever money I got as a horror story,” Crews, whose earlier acting parts include an uncredited spot in Training Day and a prominent role in blink-182’s 2004 “Down” video, said. “If I did it, I loved it. See, but this is the problem. There’s a saying I have to say. You can’t nod yes and mean no.”

From Crews’ perspective, agreeing to a low-paying part means he can’t later call out the low payment. Taking this approach, he argued, has helped him maintain a sense of “gratitude” in his work.

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“I didn’t get nothing for Training Day. How about that?” he said. “I didn’t get zero. But it changed my life forever. You didn’t know who I was if it wasn’t for a no-paying job. First of all, name somebody that played football for money when they start. You don’t get no money! You play football for free. You play basketball for free. Then you get all the way to the pros and you get the millions. Ain’t no other way, bruh. There’s nothing else. There’s no way to hop, skip, and jump this thing. But that’s the thing. People are trying to invent ways to get right to the money.”

From there, Crews also pointed out that he received “maybe $4,000” for his performance in Friday After Next, though that role wouldn’t have happened if Cube hadn’t seen the Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke-led Training Day.

From there, Crews looked back on his work as a security guard and how that ultimately resulted in him landing the Training Day appearance, as well as opened up about the inspiration he took from Denzel after seeing the biblical quote the actor famously wrote on top of his script.

See more above.

As for Howard, 50 Cent has publicly reached out to the actor on multiple occasions to offer his assistance in the actor’s battle over Empire pay.

“I need the best actors and I’m gonna pay them,” 50 vowed earlier this month.