Michelle Ghent became known through her marriage to actor Terrence Howard. She worked in commercial production before their marriage. She did not work as an actress or public figure.
Her marriage to Howard lasted for a short time. Yet their legal disputes continued for several years. The case involved divorce, spousal support, court orders, and abuse claims.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Michelle Ghent |
| Known For | Former wife of Terrence Howard |
| Profession | Commercial production work |
| Marriage Date | January 2010 |
| Former Husband | Terrence Howard |
| Divorce Filing | January 27, 2011 |
| Divorce Finalized | May 2013 |
| Children Together | None |
| Main Court Issues | Spousal support, divorce terms, restraining orders |
| Former Husband’s Profession | Actor |
Who Is Michelle Ghent?
Michelle Ghent worked behind the scenes in commercial production. Reports from her divorce case confirmed this work. Her career did not place her in the public eye.
She became widely known after marrying Terrence Howard. Howard already had a successful acting career. This brought more public attention to their private relationship.
Few verified facts exist about her early years. Public reports do not give clear details about her childhood. They also give little information about her education.
For this reason, claims about her birth date should be avoided. The same rule applies to her parents and early home life. These details have not been well documented.
Michelle Ghent and Terrence Howard’s Marriage
Michelle Ghent married Terrence Howard in January 2010. Reports said the two had been engaged for eight months. They kept the wedding away from major public attention.
The couple had no children together. Their relationship soon faced serious problems. The marriage lasted only about one year before the divorce filing.
Ghent filed for divorce on January 27, 2011. She filed the case in Los Angeles Superior Court. She listed irreconcilable differences as the reason.
She also asked the court for spousal support. The filing started a long legal dispute. Their divorce did not become final until May 2013.
Why Did Michelle Ghent and Terrence Howard Divorce?
The marriage ended after a period of serious conflict. Michelle Ghent later made claims about abuse. Howard denied key parts of her claims.
Both sides gave very different accounts of their marriage. Ghent accused Howard of physical and verbal abuse. Howard made serious claims against her as well.
Howard said she had threatened him during their disputes. He also claimed she used private material against him. These claims later became part of court hearings.
Not every claim received a final court ruling. So the claims should remain clearly labeled as allegations. Court orders and rulings offer the clearest facts.
Restraining Orders and Abuse Claims
Ghent received a temporary restraining order in December 2011. She told the court that Howard had harmed her. She also claimed that he had threatened her.
Howard denied threatening her life. He challenged parts of her story in court. The case showed how serious their conflict had become.
Another dispute took place in Costa Rica in July 2013. Ghent said Howard hit, choked, and kicked her. She later appeared in court with an injured eye.
A court granted another temporary restraining order in August 2013. Howard gave a different account of the event. He said he acted in self defense.
The 2015 Civil Lawsuit
Michelle Ghent filed a civil case against Howard in July 2015. The case related to the Costa Rica incident. It contained several serious claims.
The lawsuit accused Howard of assault and battery. It also included emotional distress and defamation claims. Ghent described physical violence in the court papers.
Howard disputed her version of the event. He said the fight began after she used pepper spray. He continued to say that he defended himself.
The lawsuit did not end with a trial verdict. Reports later said Ghent moved to dismiss it in 2017. A dismissal did not prove either side’s full account.
Divorce Settlement and Spousal Support
The former couple reached a divorce agreement in September 2012. Their divorce became final in May 2013. The agreement covered money and support payments.
Reports said Howard had to pay monthly spousal support. The reported base payment was $5,800 per month. Other terms linked payments to his income.
Those terms later became important. Howard’s acting income grew after he joined Empire. The television series became a major hit in 2015.
His larger income changed the value of some support terms. This led to another court fight. The former couple soon returned to court.
What Happened to the Divorce Settlement?
Howard asked a court to cancel part of the agreement. He said he had signed it under pressure. He accused his former wife of using threats.
Howard said she threatened to release private recordings. He said the material could hurt his career. He discussed these claims during a 2015 hearing.
A judge accepted Howard’s argument in August 2015. The judge set aside the earlier support agreement. At that time, the decision favored Howard.
But that ruling did not end the matter. Ghent appealed the decision. A higher court later reached a different result.
The 2017 Appeals Court Ruling
The California Court of Appeal reviewed the dispute. In June 2017, the court reversed the earlier ruling. This changed the legal result again.
The appeals court said Howard had not shown enough legal duress. It restored the divorce judgment. It also restored the earlier settlement terms.
This ruling was very important. Some reports focus only on the 2015 decision. But the 2017 appeal changed that result.
The restored agreement allowed more support claims to continue. The case then moved into another phase. Money remained a major issue.
Michelle Ghent’s Support Fight
Michelle Ghent continued to seek money under the restored agreement. Reports in 2018 described claims for unpaid support. The amount had grown over time.
She argued that Howard still owed support and legal costs. Howard continued to face court action over the payments. His Empire income remained part of the dispute.
In 2019, reports said a judge ordered a large payment. The reported amount was around $1.3 million. It covered support and related financial issues.
The dispute also involved money from 20th Century Fox. The studio later asked a court for guidance. It wanted to know where some payments should go.
Who Is Terrence Howard?
Terrence Howard is an American film and television actor. He has worked in Hollywood for many years. His career includes both lead and supporting roles.
He earned an Academy Award nomination for Hustle & Flow. The film came out in 2005. His performance brought him major industry attention.
Howard also appeared in Crash and Iron Man. He later played Lucious Lyon in the Fox series Empire. That role became one of his best known parts.
Howard had been married before this relationship. He was married twice to Lori McCommas. They have three children together.
Terrence Howard’s Career and Divorce
Howard joined Empire as Lucious Lyon in 2015. The show became a major television success. His salary and income also increased.
This mattered because his divorce agreement included income based terms. More earnings could mean larger support payments. His television work became linked to the court dispute.
Howard tried to remove the earlier settlement terms. The lower court first agreed with him. The appeals court later restored them.
As a result, his Empire income remained important. Later court fights focused on unpaid amounts. They also covered money linked to his acting work.
Life After the Court Battles
Michelle Ghent has kept a low public profile. Most later reports about her concern legal cases. Little verified information covers her current work.
She has not built a public entertainment career. She also does not receive regular celebrity media coverage. Her former marriage remains the main reason for public interest.
This makes careful reporting very important. Many online profiles add unsupported personal details. Such claims should not be treated as facts.
Her verified story is much clearer. She worked in commercial production. She married Howard in 2010 and filed for divorce in 2011.
Their divorce became final in 2013. Yet disputes over support continued for years. An appeals court restored their settlement in 2017.
Bottom Line
The marriage lasted for a short period. The legal conflict lasted much longer. That difference shaped much of the media coverage.
Several courts handled parts of the dispute. Some rulings also changed after appeals. This makes the legal timeline important.
The 2015 ruling did not end the settlement issue. The 2017 appeals decision reversed that result. Later support claims continued after the appeal.
Claims of violence also formed part of the case. Both former spouses gave different accounts. Reports should keep those claims separate from proven court findings.
FAQs
What is Michelle Ghent known for?
Michelle Ghent is best known as the former wife of actor Terrence Howard. She also worked in commercial production before her marriage became public news.
When did she marry Terrence Howard?
She married Terrence Howard in January 2010. Reports said their engagement lasted about eight months before the wedding.
When did she file for divorce?
She filed for divorce on January 27, 2011. The divorce became final in May 2013.
Did she and Terrence Howard have children?
No. The former couple did not have children together. Howard has children from other relationships.
What happened to their divorce settlement?
A judge set aside part of the settlement in 2015. An appeals court reversed that ruling in 2017. The earlier divorce judgment was then restored.