Terrence Howard’s emotional breakdown in court has played in his favor.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Thomas Trent Lewis sided with the “Empire” star on Monday after hearing his tearful testimony that he signed a divorce settlement with ex-wife Michelle Ghent under duress.
“I was terrified of her releasing the private tapes,” Howard told the courts while describing an alleged blackmail plan.
The Associated Press reported that the ruling will allow Howard and Ghent to negotiate a new financial agreement.
Howard, who plays Lucious Lyon opposite Taraji P. Henson on the hit Fox drama, previously testified that Ghent made private videos of him and threatened to release them during their engagement after finding out he’d been unfaithful with multiple women.
“I loved her,” Howard said while rationalizing why he stayed with her, despite being blackmailed. “I thought she had perhaps made the threats out of anger.”
Howard claimed Ghent had recorded his last talk with his mother, phone sex he had with other women, and recordings of songs he created. According to the AP, she also had a a video of the actor dancing in the nude.
Howard told the sympathetic judge that he believed that the release of the private material would’ve ended his career.