Terrence Howard declined the opportunity to play Marvin Gaye in a biopic due to discomfort with the potential requirement to engage in a romantic scene with another man. This decision was based on his personal feelings rather than prejudice. While discussing the role with Quincy Jones, who confirmed Gaye's sexuality, Howard realized he would not be able to perform such a scene authentically. He expressed that he couldn't fake such intimacy on screen and emphasized that his reluctance was not due to homophobia but rather his limitations as an actor. Additionally, he mentioned missing out on a Smokey Robinson biopic due to his prior commitment to the Gaye project. Despite frequent attempts to bring Marvin Gaye's story to the screen, a new biopic was announced in 2021, and Smokey Robinson revealed that progress was being made on a biopic about himself.