Taraji P. Henson Expresses Frustration Over Hollywood's Gender Pay Gap, Busts Myth That Black Projects Don't Sell Overseas
Taraji P. Henson expressed her frustration over gender pay disparity in the Hollywood industry. The actress marked her presence at the Cannes Film Festival alongside Lacey L. Smith, the founder of the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.
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.
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