Terrence Howard to stay away from wife

Los Angeles - A judge has ordered Terrence Howard to stay 90m away from his estranged wife after she claimed the actor repeatedly threatened her.

The Oscar-nominated actor denies in a sworn statement that he has never threatened his wife, Michelle, and says he has tried to refrain from contacting her as they undergo a divorce.

Michelle Howard filed for divorce in January after a year of marriage. In a text message last week, she claimed Howard has repeatedly hit her and threatened her.

Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon ordered Howard to not contact his estranged wife until a hearing on January 17.

Howard's filing states he is afraid his reputation will be ruined because of the allegations.

The 42-year-old actor received an Oscar nomination for his role in Hustle and Flow.