'Empire' Star Terrence Howard Was Almost Fired From the Show, Lawsuit Says

“Empire” star Terrence Howard has been sued by his former management company Authentic Talent and Literary Management, which claims that it saved the actor from getting fired from the Fox hit drama, according to papers filed Tuesday in Los Angeles.

The complaint, stems from what Authentic calls Howard’s “breach of contract and wrongful refusal” to pay “substantial sums of money” owed “in connection with his compensation from the Fox television show ‘Empire.'”

Representatives for Howard did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s requests for comment.

Also Read: Lee Daniels Pleads for Gun Control at Democratic Convention

The lawsuit claims Howard owes Authentic several hundreds of thousands of dollars, though the sum continues to accrue with each episode of the show.

According to the suit, Howard hired Authentic to be his talent manager in the summer of 2013, at which point the company came to play “a key role in the resurgence of Howard’s career.” In particular, Authentic claims that it was “an integral part of many discussions with Howard that led to his acceptance of the starring role of ‘Lucious Lyon’ on ‘Empire’ that had previously been procured for him by CAA.”

Authentic cites one incident during which it “intervened with the Los Angeles-based executives of Imagine and effectively saved Howard ‘s job on ‘Empire’ by convincing those executives not to terminate Howard from the show.”

Also Read: Taye Diggs Joins 'Empire' Season 3 in Recurring Role

Though Howard ultimately fired the management company, the lawsuit refers to a September 2014 e-mail from the actor, wherein he said through a representative that Authentic “will however be paid until the end of Terrence’s present contract with ‘Empire.'”

Howard’s contract with “Empire” is for seven seasons. Authentic also alleges in the lawsuit that Howard had been paying them a 10 percent commission for episodes in Season 1 and early Season 2, but after one late payment in March 2016, he stopped paying them and refused to pay them any further.

The lawsuit is the latest in a myriad of legal filings around Fox’s blockbuster hit. In March, producers and studio were sued for copyright infringement, while show creator Lee Daniels apologized to actor Sean Penn as part of a settlement of a suit Penn filed against him for defamation, claiming that the filmmaker smeared him in an article discussing the domestic abuse allegations against Howard.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

138 Fall TV Shows: Every New and Returning Series (Photos)

Find out when the most hotly anticipated new shows and your old favorites return. We'll keep updating this gallery as more Fall 2016 premiere dates are announced.
Thursday, Sept. 8 at 9:00 p.m.
“Finding Prince Charming” (Logo)
Logo
Thursday, Sept. 8 at 10:00 p.m.
“Better Things” (FX)
FX
Friday, Sept. 9
“One Mississippi” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 9 at 10:00 p.m.
“Quarry” (Cinemax)
Cinemax
Sunday, Sept. 11 at 8:00 p.m.
“The Circus” (Showtime)
Showtime
Sunday, Sept. 11 at 10:00 p.m.
“Indian Summers” (PBS)
PBS
Sunday, Sept. 11 at 10:00 p.m.
“Masters of Sex” (Showtime)
Showtime
Monday, Sept. 12 at 8:00 p.m.
"Dancing With the Stars" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
"Blindspot" (NBC)
NBC
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“American Horror Story” (FX)
FX
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“Documentary Now!” (IFC)
IFC
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“South Park” (Comedy Central)
Comedy Central
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:30 p.m.
“Legends of Chamberlain Heights” (Comedy Central)
Comedy Central
Thursday, Sept. 15 at 9:00 p.m.
“Project Runway” (Lifetime)
Lifetime
Friday, Sept. 16
“Fleabag” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 16 at 8:00 p.m.
“Z Nation” (Syfy)
Syfy
Friday, Sept. 16 at 11:00 p.m.
“High Maintenance” (HBO)
HBO
Sunday, Sept. 18 at 8:30 p.m.
“The Case Of: JonBenet Ramsey” (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Voice" (NBC)
NBC
Monday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
Gotham" (Fox)
Fox
Monday, Sept. 19 8:30 p.m.
"Kevin Can Wait" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Sept. 19 9:00 p.m.
"Lucifer" (Fox)
Fox
Monday, Sept. 19 10:00 p.m.
"The Good Place" (NBC)
NBC
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8:00 p.m.
"NCIS" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8:00 p.m.
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (Fox)
Fox
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8:30 p.m.
"New Girl" (Fox)
Fox
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 9:00 p.m.
"Bull" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 9:00 p.m.
"Scream Queens" (Fox)
Fox
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10:00 p.m.
"NCIS: New Orleans" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10:00 p.m.
"This Is Us" (NBC)
NBC
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10:00 p.m.
"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"Survivor" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"Lethal Weapon" (Fox)
Fox
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Goldbergs" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:30 p.m.
"Speechless" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Law & Order: SVU" (NBC)
NBC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Empire" (Fox)
Fox
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Modern Family" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:30 p.m.
"black-ish" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10:00 p.m.
"Chicago P.D." (NBC)
NBC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10:00 p.m.
"Designated Survivor" (ABC)
ABC
Thursday, Sept. 22
“Easy” (Netflix)
Netflix
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m.
"Superstore" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m.
"Rosewood" (Fox)
Fox
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m.
"Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
ABC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
"Chicago Med" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
"Pitch" (Fox)
Fox
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
"Notorious" (ABC)
ABC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 10:00 p.m.
"The Blacklist" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 10:00 p.m.
"How to Get Away With Murder" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23
“Longmire” (Netflix)
Netflix
Friday, Sept. 23
“Transparent” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 23 at 10:00 p.m.
“Van Helsing” (Syfy)
Syfy
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"MacGyver" (CBS)
CBS
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"Caught on Camera With Nick Cannon" (NBC)
NBC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"Hell's Kitchen" (Fox)
Fox
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"Last Man Standing" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:30 p.m.
"Dr. Ken" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
"Hawaii Five-0" (CBS)
CBS
Friday, Sept. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
"The Exorcist" (Fox)
Fox
Friday, Sept. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
"Shark Tank" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 10:00 p.m.
"Blue Bloods" (CBS)
CBS
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m.
"Bob's Burgers" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:00 p.m.
“Poldark” (PBS)
PBS
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Simpsons" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:00 p.m.
"Once Upon a Time" (ABC)
ABC
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:30 p.m.
"Son of Zorn" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 9:00 p.m.
"Family Guy" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 9:00 p.m.
"Secrets and Lies" (ABC)
ABC
Sunday, Sept 25 at 9:30 p.m.
"The Last Man on Earth" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 10:00 p.m.
"Quantico" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 9:00 p.m.
“Channel Zero” (Syfy)
Syfy
Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 10:00 p.m.
“Aftermath” (Syfy)
Syfy
Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 10:00 p.m.
“Drunk History” (Comedy Central)
Comedy Central
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 9:00 p.m.
"Criminal Minds" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT
“Big Brother: Over the Top” (CBS All Access)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:00 p.m.
"Code Black" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:00 p.m.
“Younger” (TV Land)
TV Land
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:30 p.m.
“Impastor” (TV Land)
TV Land
Friday, Sept. 30
“Crisis in Six Scenes” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 30
“Marvel’s Luke Cage” (Netflix)
Netflix
Saturday, Oct. 1 at 10:00 p.m.
“Versailles” (Ovation)
Ovation
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:00 p.m.
“Ash vs. Evil Dead” (Starz)
Starz
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:35 p.m.
“Blunt Talk” (Starz)
Starz
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:00 p.m.
“Shameless” (Showtime)
Showtime
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:00 p.m.
“Westworld” (HBO)
HBO
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:00 p.m.
"NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
CBS
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:00 p.m.
"Madam Secretary" (CBS)
CBS
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 10:00 p.m.
"Elementary" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Oct. 3 at 9:00 p.m.
"Scorpion" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Oct. 3 at 10:00 p.m.
"Timeless" (NBC)
NBC
Monday, Oct. 3 at 10:00 p.m.
"Conviction" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 4
“The Mindy Project” (Hulu)
Hulu
Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Flash" (CW)
CW
Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 9:00 p.m.
"No Tomorrow" (CW)
CW
Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 8:00 p.m.
"Arrow" (CW)
CW
Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 9:00 p.m.
"Frequency" (CW)
CW
Thursday, Oct. 7
“The Ranch” (Netflix)
Netflix
Sunday, Oct. 9 at 10:00 p.m.
“Divorce” (HBO)
HBO
Sunday, Oct. 9 at 10:30 p.m.
“Insecure” (HBO)
HBO
Monday, Oct. 10 at 8:00 p.m.
"Supergirl" (CW)
CW
Monday, Oct. 10 at 9:00 p.m.
"2 Broke Girls" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 8:00 p.m.
“Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After?” (Freeform)
Freeform
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Middle" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 8:30 p.m.
"American Housewife" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9:00 p.m.
“The Letter” (Freeform)
Freeform
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9:00 p.m.
"Fresh off the Boat" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9:30 p.m.
"The Real O'Neals" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 10:00 p.m.
"Chicago Fire" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Oct. 13 at 8:00 p.m.
"DC's Legends of Tomorrow" (CW)
CW
Thursday, Oct. 13 at 9:00 p.m.
"Supernatural" (CW)
CW
Thursday, Oct. 13 at 10:00 p.m.
“Falling Water” (USA)
USA
Friday, Oct. 14
“Goliath” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Oct. 14
“Haters Back Off” (Netflix)
Netflix
Friday, Oct. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“Wolf Creek” (Pop)
Pop
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 8:00 p.m.
“The Durrells in Corfu” (PBS)
PBS
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 9:00 p.m.
“Berlin Station” (Epix)
Epix
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 10:00 p.m.
“Graves” (Epix)
Epix
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 10:00 p.m.
“Eyewitness” (USA)
USA
Monday, Oct. 17 at 9:00 p.m.
"Jane the Virgin" (CW)
CW
Monday, Oct. 17 at 9:30 p.m.
"The Odd Couple" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Oct. 19
“Chance” (Hulu)
Hulu
Friday, Oct. 21
“Black Mirror” (Netflix)
Netflix
Friday, Oct. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Vampire Diaries" (CW)
CW
Friday, Oct. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" (CW)
CW
Saturday, Oct. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
“Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” (BBC America)
BBC America
Sunday, Oct. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
“The Walking Dead” (AMC)
AMC
Sunday, Oct. 23 at 10:00 p.m.
“Talking Dead” (AMC)
AMC
Monday, Oct. 24 at 8:30 p.m.
"Man With a Plan" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 8:30 p.m.
"The Great Indoors" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 9:00 p.m.
"Mom" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 9:30 p.m.
"Life in Pieces" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 10:00 p.m.
"Pure Genius" (CBS)
CBS
Friday, Oct. 28
“Good Girls Revolt” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Oct. 28 at 11:00 p.m.
“Comedy Bang! Bang!” (IFC)
IFC
Friday, Oct. 28 at 11:00 p.m.
“Tracey Ullman’s Show” (HBO)
BBC
Monday, Oct. 31 at 9:00 p.m.
“People of Earth” (TBS)
TBS

1 of 139

From returning favorites like ”Empire“ to highly anticipated debuts such as ”This Is Us,“ TheWrap’s guide to Fall 2016 premiere dates

Find out when the most hotly anticipated new shows and your old favorites return. We'll keep updating this gallery as more Fall 2016 premiere dates are announced.

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138 Fall TV Shows: Every New and Returning Series (Photos)

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