Yesterday I did the press day for the movie Pride. It’s the new film that stars Terrance Howard as Jim Ellis and it’s another in the long line sports movies based on a real person or story. But unlike most that focus on football or basketball, this one is about how Jim started a swim team in one of the roughest areas of Philadelphia in the 1970’s.

While I will be writing a lot more on the film as it gets closer to release, I did get some quotes on Iron Man as Terrance plays Jim Rhodes and figured you might want to read them now. If you haven’t heard that they are making Iron Man yet, well, they are. It’s being directed by Jon Favreau and it stars Robert Downey Jr. as the title character. They start filming this summer and it getting released next year. Obviously as production gears up I’ll be posting a lot more info, but it has a hell of a cast and I can’t wait to see it.

Here is what Terrance said about Iron Man and he also confirms that he is not going to be Luke Cage.

Q: Can you talk about going into “Iron Man” which is a total fantasy world compared your other pictures?

TH: Well, not when you’re working with Robert Downey Jr. There ain’t no fantasy there. He’s talking about getting ready for some action. You know what I love about him and Jon Favreau is you cannot predict who they are and what they’re thinking. And then you add Jeff Bridges to the mix. I still think he’s on that film he did with Kevin Spacey, you know. He’s from another planet because he’s present and then he’s ahead of you at the same time and you’re trying to converse with him. And then we’ve got Gwyneth Paltrow so there’s nothing fantastico about it. It’s like, ‘You said you wanted to be an actor?’ Every single one of these people has been nominated for or won an Academy Award. ‘So now let’s see what you’re made of.’

Q: Who’s your character in Iron Man?

TH: I play a guy named James Rhodes who becomes War Machine. I’m a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force and I’m liaison between Starks Enterprises and the military in the Department of Acquisitions.

Q: I heard there were some costume fittings on Iron Man recently. Have you seen any of the costumes and what do you think?

TH: We didn’t do the costumes yet. I didn’t see them do any of Tony Stark’s costumes. But the outfits that these people had on in [inaudible] were amazing. They looked beautiful in them. I took this role and I wanted to work with Robert Downey because he has a spontaneity and a fearlessness that I get close to, but I’m still very conservative and reserved in the choices I make. He doesn’t care. He just does it. He believes in jumping out of the air craft at 25,000 feet in the air and just going ‘whoooooooo’ all the way down. (Laughs) I want to learn that.

Q: We also talked to John Singleton recently. He’s a little frustrated with the development on Luke Cage.

TH: I’m not in that.

Q: You’re done with that involvement?

TH: [shakes head in the affirmative]

Q: Have you finished The Brave One?

TH: Oh my God, The Brave One is incredible. It’s really, really great. I got a call from Alan Horn at Warner Brothers and Joel Silver and they were beyond themselves and I’m happy because Jodie Foster personally recommended me and said ‘I want him’ and I didn’t want to fail her.