Moore drama for Terrence Howard
In the latest episode of the soap opera that is Terrence Howard's personal life, one of his ex-wives has accused him of hiding his assets to keep from having to pay her.
LAST WEEK, I wrote about how the talented Terrence Howard was out as potential star in the movie version of the life of the late Philadelphia civil-rights leader Cecil B. Moore. Moviemakers reportedly had gotten antsy about Howard's messy personal life in light of the NFL's Ray Rice domestic-abuse scandal.
Yesterday, more damning news broke about the co-star of "The Butler" and "Iron Man." TMZ reported that Howard had hidden away some of his fortune from his ex-wife and the courts.
The website said that Michelle Ghent claims Howard owes $481,715 in back spousal support and legal costs. According to TMZ, Howard claimed most of his earnings go to yet another ex-wife, Lori McMasters, so he's unable to pay Ghent. Ghent's not buying that, so Howard might as well brace himself for more drama.
* In other movie news, Philly film director Jamal Hill ("Money Power Respect," "Streets" and "After Autumn") had a private screening at a theater in Beverly Hills last week for his new film, "Brotherly Love. ''
The screening was hosted by Flavor Unit Entertainment, Queen Latifah's production company, and was attended by industry biggie Sean "Diddy" Combs, whose stepson, Quincy Brown, is one of the four co-stars. Other co-stars are Keke Palmer, Cory Hardrict and Romeo Miller.
"It's a coming-of-age story," Hill told me yesterday. The movie is about three siblings growing up in Overbrook. "It's kind of [about] how your dreams can be sidetracked by the nonsense of the streets."
Given how Charlie Mack Alston calls Hill "the LeBron James of the film game," I can't wait to see it. The movie is slated to be released in early 2015.
Sexy Singles set to marry
Two of Philadelphia's Sexiest Singles are engaged. Steven Ward of VH1's "Tough Love" is marrying longtime on-and-off girlfriend Madison Pard, who works in finance for Santander. The Daily News named Pard, who also models professionally, as one of Philly's Sexy Singles in 2011.
Ward, whom the Daily News profiled in its annual Sexy Singles spread in 2004, surprised Pard during a romantic vacation to Paris. They were staying on a top-floor corner suite in a fancy hotel room outfitted with chocolates, various cheeses and champagne. They were out on a balcony overlooking the city when Ward popped the question with a 2.3-carat princess-cut diamond on a yellow-gold ring embedded with smaller diamonds. "I surprised her. She thought we were going for my birthday," Ward said.
The couple is planning a spring 2015 wedding.
Meanwhile, Ward is hard at work on a new dating app called Love Lab (soon to be available at LoveLab.com). It will use facial-recognition software along with various identity verifications and background checks to help online daters discover who it is they are really dealing with.
"We are taking it to a whole other level and requiring users to step up and prove their identities," said Ward, adding that the app is still in the testing stages.
Whitney Thomas party
Photographer Whitney Thomas' 47th birthday party is Saturday at his studio at 1080 N. Delaware Ave, Suite 505. James K. Downs, a/k/a DJ Postal, will be spinning. Cost: $25 in advance or more at the door.
"Come have a few drinks, check out work I've done since I first began in 2001 till today and party like a rock star with some beautiful cool people," Thomas says in his Facebook invite.