Terrence Howard Says He Once Passed on the ‘Chance to Date Beyoncé’ and Pursued Another Member of Destiny’s Child Instead

The actor reflected on what could have been with the Grammy-winning singer

NEED TO KNOW

• Terrence Howard opens up about how he allegedly had the chance to date Beyoncé years ago
• “That was very, very long ago,” he said, noting that it was before Beyoncé’s now-husband Jay-Z was in the picture
• The Empire alum also said he decided to date a different Destiny’s Child member

Before there was Beyoncé and Jay-Z, there could have been Beyoncé and Terrence Howard, according to the actor.

While speaking to Patrick Bet-David on a recent episode of the PBD Podcast, the 57-year-old Empire alum claimed he could have dated the “Irreplaceable” singer earlier in her career, but chose to go with a different Destiny’s Child member instead. 

“You know, I had a chance to date Beyoncé early on,” Howard said after Bet-David commented on power couples in Hollywood and mentioned the 35-time Grammy winner and her spouse, 56. 

“We had a conversation, you know, and I ended up talking to the other girl inside of, you know, Destiny [’s Child]. The girl with the blue eyes,” he continued, never naming which member.

Destiny’s Child rose to fame after forming in Houston with Beyoncé, now 44, Kelly Rowland, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson.

After Luckett and Roberson’s exit, Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin joined. Not long after the switch, Franklin also parted ways with the “Survivor” singers, who continued as a trio.

PEOPLE reached out to reps for Beyoncé and Howard for comment.

As the conversation continued, Howard recalled a moment at the 2005 BET Awards when he was paired with Beyoncé for a sultry on-stage performance of Destiny’s Child’s “Cater 2 U,” which was released that same year.

For the live show, the group picked three famous men from the audience to come onstage and serenade them — Williams with Magic Johnson, Rowland with Nelly, and Beyoncé with Howard.

“I remember Beyoncé looking over at me, and I think that's why she picked me to do that dance, when she did the kind of strip tease dance that we did at BET or whatever, to show me what I had lost,” the Best Man star said.

Howard admitted “there was a moment” where he was “attracted” to and “felt something” for the “Dance for You” singer before she was with Jay-Z.

She and the rapper tied the knot in 2008, and share three children: daughter Blue Ivy, 14, and twins Rumi and Sir, 8.

Howard has been married four times and is a father to five kids.

“That was very, very long ago,” the Iron Man actor said of his alleged opportunity to date the superstar.

Beyoncé previously opened up to Oprah Winfrey in an OWN interview about how she and Jay-Z began dating when she was 19.

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"We were friends first for a year and a half before we went on any dates," the singer said. "We were on the phone for a year and a half, and that foundation is so important for a relationship. Just to have someone who you just like is so important, and someone who] is honest."

In more recent years, the couple has remained private about their personal lives. 

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