Taraji P. Henson Says Hollywood ‘Lied to Me' About Black Movies and TV Not Selling Overseas, Spent Years Being ‘Graceful in Getting Paid Less … Not Anymore Though!'
'I was just frustrated and it was making me bitter, and I'm not a bitter person,' Henson said, nodding to continued struggles in Hollywood over the lack of prominent roles, pay and awards recognition for women of color. '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.
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'Sometimes in the industry you make it about the trophies and the awards and that's never why i got into it,' Henson added. 'I came into this to change lives. The arts saved me. 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.'
Smith brought data to the conversation that supported Smith's frustration with Hollywood. Smith noted that while 54% of the top 200 movies of last year prominently featured girls and women, only 13% were women of color and only 1% featured a woman of color 45 years old or older.
'There are few women of color being given the opportunity,' Smith said about her takeaway from the numbers.
Henson said it was important for her to 'stop chasing the things I never came into the industry for' like awards and 'refocus.' She also noted that she had spent years being 'graceful in getting paid less than. Not anymore though!' When she returned from her month break in Bali, she dove head first into non-acting business opportunities like her beauty brand TPH 'instead of relying on that check from Hollywood.'
'I urge you all to speak up for yourself,' Henson told the women in attendance at the conversation. 'I have worked my butt off to garner the following I have. My following rides for me. That's an audience I procured through my hard work and the characters I play. I know a studio, when they call on me, they are calling on me because they know all these people are going to come and show up. That's my power. You need me because you need my following. Thank you, social media. Once I figured that out, I just started speaking up for myself.'
Henson said one of the defining moments in realizing she had power in Hollywood was when she discovered the industry's claim that Black projects don't sell oversees is just a myth. It happened during the international press tour for Fox's music drama series 'Empire,' which turned Henson into an international star as her character, the outspoken Cookie, became the series' most iconic role.
'When I did the international press for 'Empire,' up until then I was told Black doesn't translate overseas,' she said. 'Really? We went to Paris. Lee Daniels kept me a secret to the audience at a Q&A. The fans started asking the Cookie questions and he said, 'Why don't you ask her.' Before he could finish saying my name, the entire room erupted in applause and was screaming. For me? I got up on the stage and I ugly-faced cried. The myth was busting. You lied to me my entire career. I leave the stage and there are fans outside who know my name. That changed the game.'
As Henson re-enters Hollywood with new perspective, she said she is embracing 'the freedom of doing what I want to do and not being controlled by the industry or the machine.' She next stars in the Netflix drama film 'Straw,' streaming June 6.
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