Actor Michael Ealy candidly disclosed the embarrassing moment that temporarily halted his romantic scene with co-star and love interest Taraji P. Henson during 2014’s “Think Like a Man Too.”
“Think Like a Man Too” is a sequel to Will Packer’s 2012 film “Think Like a Man.” The comedy, inspired by Steve Harvey’s bestselling book “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,” followed a series of friends as they implemented Harvey’s dating advice in their romantic lives.
“Think Like a Man Too” starred Michael Ealy, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Gabrielle Union, Meagan Good, Terrance J, Jerry Ferrara, Gary Owen and Romany Malco.
Ealy revealed during his Oct. 26 appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” that before shooting a shirtless scene with Henson, he decided to do 250 push-ups between takes.
The 49-year-old said at the 8:15 mark, “So Taraji who I love immensely; we’re from the same hometown. One of the coolest people you ever meet and the most talented people you will ever meet. We are doing a scene in ‘Think like a Man Too,’ and I just had a kid. I didn’t get a chance to really like work out or prepare for this role and stuff.”
Ealy continued, “Right before this scene where I’m like shirtless in the bed with her and stuff like that, I did about 250 push-ups right, not in a row… In about 20- 25 minutes while they are setting up the shot. Like I said, I was just working my a– off to try and to pump up the muscles, get the blood flow going. That’s a trick. That’s what everybody does.”
Further in the conversation, Ealy shared that while trying to act intimate with Henson by placing his arm around her neck, the actress caught a huge whiff of his sweaty armpits.
The father of two said, while gesturing where Henson’s head was located during the incident, “I was glistening and I’m laying down with her and we were in between takes, and she’s like kind of like in here, because I’m kind of on top of her. We’re just sitting there in between the take, and she says to me, she goes, ‘Hmmm, you kind of ripe.’ “
Following that admission, the audience members and host Kelly Clarkson burst out laughing. Ealy also mentioned that Henson teased him for not being perfect. He said, “She was like ‘Michael Ealy is not perfect.’ And I was like ‘Taraji, you saw me doing the pushups. Come on. You know what I’m going through.’ ” Ealy wrapped up the interview by saying it was a bit difficult to act romantic after that moment.
This isn’t the first time Ealy has talked about working with Henson. During a 2012 interview with BET, he described how incredibly talented the star is. Ealy said, “Working with Taraji day in and day out, there’s nothing she can’t handle. Anything that I threw at her in a scene she just knocked it out of the park. She’s so dope. That’s the only word that can describe her. I hope that we get to do more projects together, I really do. She’s phenomenal.”
