Taraji P. Henson Expresses Frustration Over Hollywood's Gender Pay Gap, Busts Myth That Black Projects Don't Sell Overseas
While in conversation with the media portal at the event held in the French Riviera, Henson revealed that she felt 'discouraged' by the TV and film industry and went on to relocate to Bali. The Color Purple star shed light on the constant struggles she has faced due to her being a woman of color.
In talks with the media portal, the actress shared that due to a lack of prominent roles, she could not serve herself, the audience, or even the characters she played onscreen.
The What Men Want star revealed, 'I was just frustrated and it was making me bitter, and I'm not a bitter person.' She continued to state, 'I made a promise to myself if I ever got there, then it's time to walk away. I'm not serving myself or the audience or the characters I play. Thank god I did that. I came back refreshed and with a new perspective.'
The actress went on to state that sometimes the industry is all about trophies and awards, but she never wanted to get into all of it. She claimed that she stepped into the world of acting to change lives and with the art and skill she had, she was saved.
Further in her talks with the outlet, the Empire star shared, 'I was a little Black girl in the hood in D.C. during the crack epidemic. I'm supposed to be a statistic. I wasn't supposed to make it out but I did.'
Her fellow, Smith, also added to the conversation. She noted that 54% of the films made in the industry were women-centric, and yet only 13% of them were women of color.
Henson confirmed that she has spent years being graceful while getting paid less in Hollywood.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
11 hours ago
- Economic Times
Pin it to win it: The brooch makes a bold comeback
Synopsis Brooches are experiencing a significant revival, particularly among men, driven by a desire for individuality and self-expression. This resurgence is fueled by red carpet visibility, vintage culture, and a craving for pieces with personal meaning and history. Designers note increased demand and experimentation in brooch placement, transforming them into versatile accessories and wearable art. TIL Creatives Representative Image In a July 2025 article in The Financial Times , Frank Everett, Sotheby's vice chair of jewellery, proclaimed that the brooch is back. Everett has been talking about the return of the brooch for a decade now but this time round, he says, it is legit. Even as you remain skeptical, there's one area that the brooch seems to have pinned its hopes on: the men's suits. The Met Gala 2025 was a parade of brooches as attendees pinned the theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' with a brooch. Punctuating most of the slick lapels, stylists called it the breakout trend of the night. At the Oscars again, brooches were front and and image consultant Rishi Raj—a self-confessed brooch addict— says that brooches are having a moment because people are craving individuality, especially men, who are finally embracing adornment in a big way. He says, 'For men, a brooch is the perfect gateway into jewellery. It's less intimidating than wearing a necklace or earrings.' The red carpet visibility has also created acceptability. International jewellery houses are keen to bring men into the jewellery fold, a reason why we see brooches on the red carpet. But brooches have been around since the Bronze Age when men used pins of flint or metal to fasten cloaks and tunics. By the 19th century, they were worn purely for historians note that brooches went out of style in the 1960s. Of late, though, editorials are full of 'ten ways to wear a brooch' hacks. Jewellery designer Roma Narsinghani, who founded her eponymous label in 2018, says brooches today are more than just a fashion trend, they're a cultural mood. People want pieces that tell a story and connects them to something bigger, she notes. 'Brooches have been part of so many traditions: royal regalia in Europe, ceremonial pins in Asia, talismans in different cultures. They've always carried meaning, and I think right now, that's what people are craving—objects that feel personal and storied.' Narsinghani also attributes the rise to men wanting to experiment with personal style. To tackle damaging a garment, she reintroduced button covers, something you used to see back in the 50s. This can also help you double your brooches as buttons. 'If I look back from 2019 to now, there's def i nitely more openness to wearing brooches, and across genders.'Kolkata-based jewellery designer Eina Ahluwalia has noticed an uptick in demand for her monogram brooches. 'Jewellery is experiencing a vintage mood revival. Brooches are feeling fresh again, and they are the perfect gender-neutral accessory.' Ahluwalia says they get requests for customised brooches. 'I see a lot of people adding brooches to their bags, and I find that much more interesting than hanging a Labubu!' Even Tribe Amrapali, a brand known for traditional jewellery, has noticed a steady growth in this category. CEO Akanksha Arora says many factors are at play: first, the way we look at jewellery is changing—it's now about self-expression; second, vintage culture is having a strong moment; people want pieces with history, or at least something that feels like it could be passed accessories designer Paulami Saha works with fabrics but started making brooches to repurpose textile waste. 'I hadn't imagined that there existed an audience who might shy away from traditional jewellery, yet embrace brooches as their signature statement. This was a revelation.' The dog and cat designs are their current says brooches are a playful accessory that can turn any outfit into a conversation starter. Kanika Suri, director of Noida-based premium accessories label Tossido, says 2025 has seen a significant revival in brooches. 'For us, the shift started post-Covid,' she says. It's not about only the big pieces but there's a lot of creativity around placement and layering. Their bestsellers are the animal brooches, enamel and studded florals, and pins with brooches range from Rs 699 to Rs 2,259. The choice of brooch depends on what you are wearing. Co-director Raghav Suri says, 'A bandhgala often calls for more classic, vintage-style brooches, while you can wear quirky ones over a casual blazer.'Vandana M Jagwani, founder, Vandals and creative director of Mahesh Notandass, says the brooch revival is rooted in history and puts men front and centre of wearing jewellery—something they did quite regularly traditionally. She adds, 'At the moment, men seem to be embracing brooches more than women. However, wearing a brooch every day still feels a bit 'extra' for most.'But that 'extra' is what Raj says will make a powerful style statement as he calls them 'little personality injections'. Brooches are surprisingly versatile. His advice? For work, pick sleek, small, geometric shapes or initials and place on your blazer lapel, shirt placket, or the base of a tie knot. For evenings, go for oversized florals, gem-encrusted pieces, or sculptural designs or layer two smaller ones together. For daily wear, go for quirky or personalised pins on denim jackets, sweaters, or tote straps. He says: 'Always pin through a reinforced area like a lapel, seam, or double layer of fabric to prevent sagging or damage. For heavy brooches, add a backing disc or hidden safety pin inside the garment for support.' The modern brooch is a free spirit: you can wear it on your shirts, waistbands, cinch or gather fabric on dresses or tunics, on any headgear and even clipped to chains, Raj says. Vinayak Modani, founder of Jaipurbased contemporary accessories brand Milk & Whisky, says people seek quirky picks with something unique like their stock market pin with a bull fighting a bear. He says, 'One should invest in a brooch box with a mix of brooches in various sizes and finishes.' What excites Arora is the trend of layering multiple brooches together like curating your own mini gallery on your outfit. Her tip: 'Start your collection with versatile, mediumsized pieces that work with multiple outfits. A classic floral, a geometric form, and something with a pop of colour make a great starter set.' Raj calls them wearable art—they don't need sizing and transcend trends. His starter pack would include something classic (gold, silver, gemstone); something statement (oversized, sculptural) and something quirky/ personal. Looks for quality clasps and solid construction, he says that people are getting much more experimental with how they wear brooches—on shirt collars, sari pleats, belts, hats, handbags, even on the back of a Raj says, 'The brooch was always underrated.' It's time to pin it up.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Anu Malik can take other people's songs, he just needs to do it like Elvis Presley
Music as an art form has been appreciated, imitated, copied, sampled, and remembered since time immemorial. The moment a new sound emerges from the depths of the mind of a troubled artiste, a line of imitators presents itself. When BB King and his guitar Lucille talked, people had no choice but to get inspired, or when Bappi Lahiri uses the saxophone to completely change the scope and tempo of an album as iconic as Sharabi, other producers are bound to take notice. Getting inspired by a piece of music isn't the problem; it's the lack of acknowledgement that paints a worrisome picture. If you perform a cover of a song, then you have to let the people know that this in fact is not your creation, that you are merely a vessel. There are a million cover artistes in the world who keep releasing their takes on iconic songs (here's looking at you, Ali Sethi), but at least Sethi does it because he is moved by the original composition, not because he can't come up with something of his own. There are artistes who are incredible performers, but originality is not their strong suit. Some of them get caught, and then there are those who hit the echelons of fame and popularity. They become icons, the superimposed image of an entire genre, and the 'King of Rock and Roll' Elvis Presley's career needs to be studied to understand this phenomenon. ALSO READ: India's first global rockstar who performed with George Harrison and Bob Dylan, and played a live-aid concert before Queen This isn't speaking ill of the dead. Elvis, for all his faults and questionable characteristics, was an incredibly talented performer. He had what Simon Cowell would describe as the 'X factor', although Presley didn't need a Cowell; he had the manipulative and ice-cold Colonel to fill that spot. This piece is to remind people that no matter how great the lanky and handsome boy from Mississippi was, he wasn't original. Presley took the radio stations of the southeastern region of the US by storm when he recorded tracks like 'Baby Come Play House' by Arthur Gunter and Arthur Crudup's 'That's All Right'. These were some of his early hits, and the former was the song that you see Austin Butler playing in the film Elvis, and we'll come to that later as well. Elvis' form of acknowledgement was a little too cloak and dagger. He took permission from several artistes, but never an upfront, 'Sorry to disappoint, but this is not my song; you should listen to the original'. During that time, the culture of collaboration was different, art was still being segregated based on the race of the artiste, and Elvis seemed like a good way to get the blues, gospel and jazz tracks out there. These are all genres rooted deep within Black culture, and they got limited radio play. But when sung with a white man's voice, all stations were suddenly open for business. Elvis took the music of Beale Street and spread it all over the world, but the only problem is that he did injustice to the artistes and the brand of music that he seemingly represented. Humans forget; we love, hate, judge and repent, but soon we forget all that we felt those emotions for. In similar fashion we sometimes forget the origins of something, or the past foundation upon which our current reality is built. We forget because we stop discussing things, and I refuse this notion that soon we will forget where all those songs came from. Gospel is a cry for help and a declaration of love at the same time, both to God. Blues as a genre is what got people through the hardships of life, through despondency, through injustice, and through a society which was nothing but cruel and indifferent towards them. Talking about jazz would take too long, but make no mistake, Elvis was the product of these very art forms, and somehow he forgot those who made him. 'Trouble' was Elvis' call to the world that he won't be controlled by the media or the government; he was his own artiste and his own individual, and it was a loud call indeed. The only problem is that it wasn't his song; it was originally a blues track written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stroller. 'Can't Help Falling In Love' was also not written by Elvis, and the original song was written for a female singer. These are still better examples, because no one else had already sung these songs, but songs like 'Hound Dog', written by the two aforementioned gentlemen, was originally sung by Big Mama Thornton. 'Blue Suede Shoes' was written and recorded by Carl Perkins, and Elvis wasn't the only one to make money off of that. ALSO READ: Britney Spears and Lata Mangeshkar share the same connection that Parineeta the film and Louis Armstrong do, and it has to do with cheating The film Elvis (2022) was a long shot by all standards of the game. The writing was broken, the characters unconvincing, and it felt like a soap opera came to life on the big screen. Apart from everything wrong with it, the film had a unique chance of telling the story of the people behind Elvis' music, but all it did was make it seem like these people inspired Elvis, and he never took any of their songs. You see Thornton singing in a bar where BB King and Elvis are hanging out, but the way the scene is shot, and the nature of the narrative that follows that frame, suggests that our Cadillac-driving, gelled-up singer was just taking in the vibes and not planning to play that exact same song in front of thousands of people next Sunday! Elvis isn't here, and we don't have any further proof of how much money trickled down to the people whose songs he sang. Maybe he did thank all these people, or maybe I missed a few performances where he gave a shout-out to Old Boy Crudup, but the film had the chance to change that maybe into definitely and talk about the people who penned and performed some of the most well-known songs of the 20th century. This piece doesn't intend to take the whole Eminem approach to this situation and say, 'To use Black music so selfishly and use it to get myself wealthy.' (He said this and name-dropped Elvis too.) The intention is to call just Elvis a little forgetful, because he has done a lot of things during his time in this world which could be questioned, but that doesn't need to happen today. All one wants is for some people to get credits for their songs; for Leiber and Stroller to get more than just a single line on Wikipedia on a page no one is ever going to visit; for Thornton to be remembered for being a trailblazing woman. Art will continue to be imitated till the day art is created, and inspiration will continue to be born in one's mind upon experiencing someone else's excellence. We need to understand that some pieces of art should be left alone (including national anthems; you would think that would be a given), and if not, their creators need to be given due credit. Presley introduced the world to sounds and ideas in a way no one else could (I mean, BB could if he were white), and he did it with style. That's what Anu Malik, Pritam and everyone else in Bollywood need to understand. If you want to revamp another song from an old film or an album or just rip off Korean songs, just do it with some flair, wiggle, and panache, just like Elvis Presley did.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
‘Parasite' actor Song Kang Ho becomes first Korean actor to join G-Dragon's at new agency - Here's what we know
Actor Song Kang Ho has officially parted ways with his old management and has moved on to a new company, as per reports. The actor, known for his roles in ' Broker ', 'Emergency Declaration', 'A Taxi Driver', 'The Drug King', 'Parasite', and 'The Age of Shadows', will now work and promote under a completely new agency that houses some of the biggest artists in the industry. Song Kang Ho joins a new company As per Korea JoongAng Daily, Song Kang Ho has joined a completely new management and will be operating under the same label that houses artists like G-Dragon . Another factor that makes this an even bigger moment for everyone involved is the fact that Song Kang Ho will be the first actor to sign under that label. In a statement released by the company, they shared, 'It's an honour to usher in a new era of AI entertainment with Song, an actor who has greatly contributed to the globalisation of Korea's film industry'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo About Song Kang Ho Kang Ho is one of the most prolific actors in the Korean entertainment industry, and is even revered as a force to reckon with in the international realm after his success with Bong Joon Ho 's 'Parasite'. He has won many accolades over the tenure of his career and has also managed to break a lot of records. He was the first Korean actor to take home the prestigious award for Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for his film 'Broker'. Other than this, his film 'Parasite' even managed to get the Palme d'Or in 2019, at the Cannes Film Festival. This is one of the most prestigious awards of the glamorous festival. Other than that, he also has around 4 movies that have garnered more than 10 million viewers in Korea, making this another memorable record-breaking moment in his career as an actor. His debut in the entertainment industry came in 1996 with his film 'The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well'.
