Most scientific thought on the matter of memory states that we don’t really form our first memories until roughly around two or three years of age. But some, like actor Terrence Howard, claim to have knowledge of their life spanning further back in their lives. In fact the former MCU star shared in a recent interview that his own memories stretch as far back as moments he encountered within his mother’s womb.
During The Joe Rogan Experience’s latest episode, Howard told a story in which he stated that his first memory was logged at about six months into his mother’s pregnancy. With that claim came some rather striking details, as seen in the first part of his conversation, shared below:
My first memory was almost like when you’re dreaming and you’re falling and you hit the bottom and you wake up. That’s my first memory, but I didn’t wake up here. I was inside my mother’s womb, and I was about maybe six months inside the womb, and I’m like, ‘OK. Don’t forget I’m here. OK. OK. Don’t forget. Don’t Forget. Don’t forget. Don’t forget.’
Though Terrence Howard’s previous retirement claims haven’t kept him out of acting completely, it seems that his life journey is more focused on innovation and the pursuit of knowledge. Apparently Mr. Howard’s early experiences with memory enabled him to construct a mind palace so strong that he could help dictate the correct path his life was supposed to follow.
So perhaps there was a bit more than money at the center of Howard’s infamous MCU departure. Though I say that not to invalidate Terrence Howard’s other claims that Robert Downey Jr. “took” his potential raise for Iron Man 2. Rather, his decision could have been attributed to both his perceived grievance, and his supposed insight into his personal path.
While these supposed memories could be argued with any sort of combination of science and philosophy, Terrence’s true belief in these notions are quite unshakable. As the man behind Empire’s music mogul Lucious Lyon continued to go over his early days as a baby, he reinforced those memories that he wanted so hard to remember.
Providing further details to his experience within his mother’s body, Terrence Howard revealed the following:
You go asleep. You wake up again. Now, something is moving in front of you and you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s my friend.’ But I had a different name for it. I didn’t know it was my hand, but I knew I had a title for it. Go back to sleep. All of those things. Then ultimately, you get ready to come out. I remember all of that. I remember being compressed. You want to panic, but you’re flooded with like some serotonin and dopamine to where you feel relaxed. You go right back to sleep. I remember being born. I remember being circumcised.
Argue as one may, Terrence Howard’s perceived experiences from the womb have served him well, at least that’s what it sounds like when hearing him recount them. With plenty of mysteries pertaining to life that science hasn’t totally cracked just yet, perhaps there’s some room to investigate these claims with a scholarly approach. In the meantime, whether you’re a fan of Terrence Howard or Don Cheadle’s portrayal of Col. James Rhodes, almost the entire MCU is available for streaming through the power of a Disney+ subscription.