Terrence Howard claims ex-wife extorted him, seeks to nix divorce deal

During a court appearance Tuesday in Los Angeles, Terrence Howard’s attorney alleged the actor’s ex-wife Michelle Ghent’s attempt to extort money from the Oscar nominee and “Empire” star was grounds to have the former couple’s 2012 divorce agreement thrown out.

Attorney Brian Kramer played a recording of a 2011 phone conversation between Howard and Ghent in which she threatened to sell information about the actor, unless he met her demands for payment.

In the recording, Ghent is heard claiming to have a video of Howard singing naked in the bathroom she said could fetch $2 million. She also made claims the actor had affairs and said she had tipped off the Internal Revenue Service to Howard claiming improper tax deductions.

Howard contends the statements by Ghent amounted to extortion and that the divorce settlement should be overturned. As for Ghent, her attorneys claim she denied the allegations during a previous deposition and also noted she has accused Howard of domestic violence, and claims she’s owed funds under the 2012 settlement.

Howard and Ghent were married in 2010, and she filed for divorce a year later.

Howard received an Oscar nomination for his starring role in 2005’s “Hustle & Flow.” He currently stars in the hit Fox TV series “Empire,” which is filming its second season in the Chicago area.