Taraji P. Henson Shares The Personal Reason She Took Her Latest Acting Role
When life imitates art, playing a role can stir up echoes of the past — a lesson Taraji P. Henson revisited in her latest film.
Henson, a Washington, D.C. native and a proud Howard University graduate, recently portrayed Janiyah, a struggling single mother in Tyler Perry's new film 'Straw.' It's a narrative Henson knows intimately, having been a single mother herself — a connection she spoke candidly about during a Wednesday episode of 'The View.'
'She's a single mother. She can't get ahead to save her life — and I've been in that situation before,' Henson said. 'But the difference between me is that I had an incredible support group.'
The 'Empire' actor went on to reflect more on her own journey, crediting the presence of a strong 'family' and 'great sister circle' that helped lighten her load. The character of Janiyah, by contrast, is isolated — and Henson acknowledged that too many women live in that reality every day.
'I want them to feel seen,' she said.
Earlier in the interview, Henson elaborated on why she felt compelled to take on the role.
'I love roles where I get to give a voice to the voiceless — because people who feel unseen need to know that they're not alone, and that people do see you,' Henson explained.
She added that she's drawn to roles that 'will force the audience to lead with more grace and understanding — because you can never truly judge a book by its cover.'
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