Taraji P. Henson Career Retrospective | SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations

Taraji P. Henson shares stories from her performances in ‘The Color Purple’, ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ and ‘Empire’ in this conversation about her acting career. Moderated by Angelique Jackson, Variety. This interview is part of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations series, an essential resource for actors, filmmakers and students of discussions with performers, exploring the process and profession of acting.
The views expressed in the presentation materials and films, and by the guests and moderators are solely those of the organization and/or individual providing them and do not reflect the opinions of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, its staff or Board of Directors.
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[@milesandcoffee]

It's time that Taraji P. Henson receive her due. She has demonstrated excellence and integrity in her field for over 20 years. It's time for the industry to recognize her worth. She's been undervalued for far too long.

[@ChelleInTheCity]

👏🏽👏🏽 Yes! Her interview on Sirius XM with Gayle King is powerful and she literally said what you said! You should watch it. This came up right after I’m so glad. This was beautiful ❤

[@jazzyj904]

It’s not time for HER to receive her due. It was time YEARS ago. The issue is that it’s time for racial and gender discrimination within the industry to end.

[@actorselftaping6484]

Then yall should’ve went to see proud Mary. And make sure you go see the color purple .

[@adeliaepps88]

Love you Taraji. You have spoken. God will take over from here.

[@TruCunt]

I’m surprised she didn’t win an Oscar

[@TadCoughenour]

I love what she says about being herself but not sleeping on her training. The idea that artists of color are still feeling the need to code-switch in this business is ridiculous. She is brilliant just as she is!

[@nancyk8153]

She was wonderful in Hidden Figures and Empire!

[@AngelHoll-pr8fz]

And baby boy

[@lavedadavis818]

This was not long enough, but enjoyable!! She's very talented!!! CONGRATS Taraji!!!!!!! Thanks SAG-AFTRA!!

[@dakotac180]

I love her so much. She deserved an award for Hidden Figures. She is every black lady, beautiful, bold, passionate. Also using her platform for good for everyone else.

[@samsunguser3438]

Excellent host. Excellent questions. Immaculate vibes, and I'm so grateful that Taraji was given the genuine freedom to shine as authentic and brilliantly as she does. This was uber inspirational!👏🏾

[@kwill84]

She is so honest. The narrative of someone coming to Hollywood with 700 dollars is often told but most people want to act as if they succeeded without any help. She listed those that helped her because you don’t achieve the kind of success she’s had alone. Does not mean she wasn’t brave. That was a massive risk and she is incredible. She was able to find an agent through others but she got her jobs alone. But support is so crucial. So glad she is so honest and pulls back the curtain

[@Mecctacular]

Taraji is a light! Shout out to her for her talent and authenticity. But also, shout out to the interviewer. She did a fantastic job!

[@gildapatterson7792]

Amen.

[@SoniT]

I just love Taraji! She is so down to earth. ❤

[@antionettemartin3694]

Hello Beautiful Precious Souls She is Awesome and Blessed Sister Love her she is Real

[@gildapatterson7792]

Amen.

[@Mr.Know-It-All-Day]

Me too. That's my girl ❤

[@kivonshe]

This audience lol it feels like I’m watching a round table at a family reunion

[@LovelyBird-mx9im]

I honor Tariji. She kept it so real about her journey without playing the victim, is confident (rightfully so and has many things to be proud of) but I truly respect her honesty esp about almost having to walk away from Color Purple, the most current film she’s in. She’s talented, funny and smart. She deserves her flowers.

[@butterfliii73]

100 % agree and would love to see her start her own production company or something of that nature

[@gildapatterson7792]

Amen.

[@Mr.Know-It-All-Day]

💯she's a real one. Reppin Southeast D.C all day

[@samyataylor8281]

Whoever reads this, Give her, her money 💵!!!

[@THEDIONISIO4]

She has inspired me 2024 is my year !!!!

[@GODISGREAT122]

YES!!!!!

[@Zsanejhemindset]

She is remarkable. ❤

[@michellelaguerre8760]

In this interview, I see Taraji as a teacher, an advocate for social change,,a wise women, as an actor who is true to her craft and not she is not no fake celebrity. she has a good sense of humor, but she also takes no shit. Ms Henson, from this post. I’m sending you lots of positive energy. ,

[@Reinashaunte]

I love Taraji! She is a real one! Brilliant, Beautiful and a Boss! #hu #youknow #alum

[@emorylamar]

I really want to see Taraji on another network television series or a Talk show host she’s so charismatic and full of joy

[@honestlysis]

This was such an amazing interview! From the audience, to the interviewer and of course Taraji! I am so grateful we have gotten to witness her journey! She have truly been a gift to us! Now I'm about to go re-watch Empire and her entire catalog 😂😂😂

[@Kicikicimaj]

I like Teraji. Hollywood does not deserve her. She is honest, volnurable, and incredible actress.

[@derrickdicaprio]

Taraji P. Henson deserved -an Oscar nomination for Hustle & Flow -an Oscar win for Benjamin Button -an Oscar nod in lead for Hidden Figures -6 Emmy nods & 2 wins for Empire -5-10M salaries for leads in studio films. This season she deserves her 1st Emmy & Oscar consideration.

[@rayb7429]

Facts and I won’t lie ( acrimony) was wild 🔥👌🏽

[@awade2436]

Love this I would love to see a sit down with Regina King

[@inesspanni]

Angelique Jackson is such an amazing journalist! Her questions are so organic & authentically curious. I love this interview!! I've only seen Taraji as the great actor she is, so it was awesome to see HER live & in her regal self!!!! Beautiful QUEEN!!!❤❤❤❤

[@smilesallround]

Fantastic interview! 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 I love this woman, and the interviewer was great!

[@YogiPaliwal]

Taraji P. Henson don’t miss

[@blackmamba4494]

Manifesting working with this living legend 1 day, been watching her kill it since smart guy. I really felt this being raised by a single mother. Def deserves her roses, thank you both for such a dope interview, Ms. Henson reminds me to stay true to yourself and be unapologetically you! She had me crackin up all the way through but she kept it a buck ! -J.R. Lloyd

[@ChelleInTheCity]

Wait. She was in smart guy??

[@marriejames01]

⁠@@ChelleInTheCity I watched that show all the time and never saw that woman. To my knowledge, “Baby Boy” was her first role.

[@chantalclarke5305]

Love her realness her integrity her vibrancy much success to taraji

[@robertnunez657]

Damn great interview. Kudos.❤

[@winifreddavies1416]

Taraji has a good heart ❤

[@markkikata7324]

She inspires me i love her!💕💕

[@cd6243]

I'm a huge fan of her..I adore her so much... congratulations queen 👑..God bless you and your family in Jesus mighty name 🙏🏻 amen

[@Hermelaninmagick]

Taraji P Henson is an absolute gem. Her resume and dedication to her craft is laudable. She should be paid. I hope she has a team that’s fighting for her much deserved shine!

[@alaynalyons6602]

I love that she kept it REAL

[@aleina223]

This interview was so comforting to watch. She’s just like all of us and to see how down to earth she is, I love that she’s exactly who she is and true to herself! She definitely deserves her flowers 💐

[@JustmeGB]

She is phenomenal

[@heavenheaven9134]

Speaking from an African living in Europe: we love her over here. Every black person knows her work and believes in her. They better pay her due !

[@patriciamauriciakabongolem3605]

I side with you, please.

[@robertstanley9633]

Taraji P Henson is a great storyteller & exceptional human being. I didnt expect to ride the emotions, laugh, and cry while watching this interview, but great interviews will do that. This is one. Thank you for sharing your platform with Taraji P Henson.

[@talibahheaden1526]

As im sitting here watching this interview it just reminds me of why she's my FAVORITE ACTOR

[@Dripinjoy]

I love her energy she such an inspiration ❤❤

[@hanginthere1101]

This whole interview should be made to a book. She is a woman full of wisdom. Love her so much. Such a great interview. Please let her share more. ❤

[@robertstanley9633]

40:30 I hope and pray Taraji P Henson one day wakes up and lives out her wildest dreams ❤

[@tremaynehopkins9817]

Excellent fun entertaining brilliant loving wonderful interview Love you TPH💗💗

[@romeokimss]

It’s so refreshing to watch an interview with a skilled, experienced actress who is relatable and understandable.

[@notthatgirlprod]

I knew Taraji could sing when she was in Tyler Perry's movie "I Can Do Bad All By Myself".

[@writingbywinifred6677]

Such a refreshing interview. ❤🎉

[@Armoniexchanel]

So beautiful with a pure heart

[@marinaalencar2157]

WHAT A QUEEN. WHAT A LIVING LEGEND. Her grace, the humility, the gratitude. I feel honored to have seen this conversation. And ABSOLUTELY Taraji deserved and deserves so much more. And it will come, this is just the new beginning. And Angelique giving her flowers, just beautiful ❤

[@itzyahaira]

We are resilient. She is a spectacular artist! ❤❤❤❤🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬

[@MRHIGH_II]

Such a beautiful interview. Continued thanks Taraji. God Bless You ❤🙏🕊

[@riosings7810]

Love the host , love taraji

[@user-vz1hb5pk1d]

It’s so nice to see us genuinely interested in a person and interview them with integrity and respect.

[@ouranoswealthgroup7042]

The audition is when you walk in the door. When you're trained, you know that. Sadly, being yourself always comes at a cost. To be yourself, you have to be willing to pay it! Boss! Claim it & walk in it!! Never lose the value!! So glad she speaks up. Love her!!!

[@Mr.Know-It-All-Day]

Taraji P. Henson🌸 is one of my favorites actresses hands down. Black Hollywood royalty & excellence.A humanitarian who advocates heavily for mental health(which I adore)I wish her constant success & happiness

[@bm8908]

I love her tenacity and plight! You are a bad ass!

[@winifreddavies1416]

She's so sweet and loving❤

[@yolanda6]

This was a great conversation!

[@goingnaturalsavemylifevero4867]

😮Angela Bassett as well Love girls both

[@ninalove6718]

Taraji is a phenomenal woman!

[@barbaracarswell8401]

Taraji P. Henson ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤I support you whole heartily love you and all that you bring to the screen. I receive it. Hallelujah

[@feliciawalker183]

Love you, Ms. Taraji P!! I. Rootin and supoorting EVERYTHANG you do!!! Sending you peace, love, and happiness on your journey.

[@ChelleInTheCity]

She’s a Virgo. It’s in our spirit to give and protect for sure. I know a lot of ppl don’t like astrology but there’s truth to it. Virgos are nurturers so it makes sense how motherly she is. ❤I love her so much. She’s so talented and inspirational! 🎉

[@Johndoe-us8ob]

I like Taraji because she is real and it is very rare that you get that in Hollywood today.

[@mariac7672]

What a great and wide-ranging interview. Taraji has great talent, she knows her worth and what she brings to every project she’s a part of. What she said about her team after Empire ended 😂 Get ‘em Taraji. Keep speaking up and dropping gems.

[@The2010arian]

Ms Henson was stunning in Hidden Figures and Empire 💪.She is so underrated

[@ChangingWindsWoman]

Loved when she said Mother-Father God. Thank you Taraji.

[@thearmstrongfamily23]

you are an inspiration !

[@PinkHypatia]

Much respect, Taraji P.

[@fernahmad3684]

1:18:16 God, this is so so so important. As someone who has only experienced the opposite of this when talked about by their parents, it is really tough. You can only ask them so many times to speak positively about you or have faith in you and your siblings. God bless anyone else who is feeling this way.

[@vernabrazelton6739]

This was an EXCELLENT interview! Taraji is sooo down to earth, relatable and encouraging!!! I love her more now! Keep your head up, Taraji, in everything that you do!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@gloriastyktv]

She should truly consider doing the "Cookie Lyon" Spin off, it will be a sucess 😍🥰 Empire would not be as Big if it wasn't for her portraying Cookie Lyon I truly believe that !

[@landi777]

Thank you for this awesome interview! I appreciate Taraji's transparency and vulnerability! I'm so proud of Taraji and all of the work she's done!

[@annedumornay95]

I absolutely enjoyed this interview! I understand the struggle as a black woman feeling invisible and unheard. I'm in tears. This year I fell in love with myself. Therefore, I will no longer settle for less! The price went up! I love you Taraji!

[@TheRobirobster]

This is an excellent interview. I love when an interview allows enough time for the person to really talk. By the end of this, they were in such a good groove until I didn’t want it to end. Well Done 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@stacybenton2011]

A BEAUTIFUL INTERVIEW AND SO INSPIRING. SHE IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEING AND AUTHENTIC SOUL!!! ❤

[@tasharichardson401]

BEAUTIFUL interview!!! Taraji being raw and REAL was refreshing. Her sense of humor AMAZING. I felt like I was having an out of body experience watching this. EVERYTHING she is saying about mental health is what I preach DAILY to my community. I NEED TO WORK WITH YOU TARAJI. PHILLY NEEDS YOU AND THEM PODS MORE THAN EVER BEFORE!!!🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@doglover2547]

This woman is so deep. She reinvents herself every time she speaks. I love to see and listen to her. Many blessings, my sister.

[@user-md5my7wq7v]

You are such a BLESSING Ms Henson. A true GEM!! Thank you for your inspiration, words and work!!

[@ouranoswealthgroup7042]

That DC girl turned real LA girl in baby boy! I swore she was from LA. I was floored that she was from where I was going to attend Howard in DC because she reminded so much of the girls I grew up with in LA. I KNEW she would be wildlu successful ever since.

[@J_The_Word]

“Speak into your children’s lives.” This is one of my biggest take aways. I love you, Taraji.

[@alexasmith141]

This was amazing and she is amazing. I love her so much ❤

[@GETYOBAGMONIQUE]

This is a very great interview. You see Taraji for who she truly is.

[@singlemomslevelup208]

Thank you Taraji for speaking your truth and for your work with supporting and providing space for mental health conversations. If it weren't for my respecting you as a talented actress and Single Mom, I would not have been open to realize when a family member needed professional help and prayer, NOT one or the other. Again thank you!!❤

[@gildapatterson7792]

This interview with Taraji's is the most "real and profound" interview I have listened to in 2023 💜🥰💜. Thank you for this video 👍💯🥰.

[@asdunbar1]

I'm so proud of you Taraji. Brains, Beauty, and talent!

[@whothewho82]

I love how whimsical she is. I’m so interested in how she balances that serious strength with her innocence and comedy. I respect her so much for her struggle and all of the things she’s had to fight to get here.

[@talibahheaden1526]

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL She gives of so much stretch and tanasaty been a fan since day one 🙏🏿🙏🏿

[@chana1692]

Great interview! Taraji was so candid and lovely. She’s one of my ALL TIME favorite actresses! ❤️❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥😎😎😎😎🥳🥳🥳

[@Iamlismoore]

love you Taraji, 2024 will be bigger and better for you....remember it gets greater later

[@-kittystarplays-9223]

This was an excellent interview. The host did a magnificient job with her questions and comments. So many great points mentioned throughout this coversation- strong black woman stigma, mental health,never stop dreaming,inequality in pay and so much more- Bravo!

[@Jamaal.R.]

Taraji spilled SOOOO MUCH. I gotta watch more of her interviews. She most definitely needed to fire EVERYONE for not capitalizing on her Cookie Lyon fame!

[@danielleLaw007]

I love Taraji! ❤ She has a big heart but a true heart. It shines ❤ The truth always shines the same way the truth always comes out ❤

[@sxwe11]

Love love this interview. Both our sisters doing good, showing respect for each other. Taraji you're the bomb darling, do your thing. We love you and standing with by your side. You're the real deal❤❤❤❤

[@lanimanuel8019]

🎉Congratulations🎉 I love you💕 you are such an accomplished actor/producer/ director etc.. excellence without measure with such pose and grace I love you Taraji P. Henson!! You are blessed🙏🏽

[@newjackz1589]

This was a great interview. Bravo to the host way to carry a conversation smoothly. I can tell you were so fanned out at first and held your composure loved it

[@tianiasing2]

I have acted on a small level but the emotional outpouring is immense. I think about preachers and singers who pour out day after day and know one realizes the emotional toll it has on a human being. Thank you Taraji for pulling down the facade.

[@livingonword6537]

Teraji P. Henson is BRILLIANT ✨♥️👑 This interview so holistically captured the essence of her career and life in such a beautiful, authentic and inspiring way. Her answers were insightful and personal and principled. She walked the boundary of the public and private so effortlessly; powerful glimpses into her life and career, honest and vulnerable and deeply profound❤ She's also so funny and cool! And relatable in an intergenerational kind of way. Teraji. P. Henson is Timeless. I love you ❤🎬👑 Be blessed in all your future endeavors Queen Teraji and thank you so much for being alive.

[@nequag]

I love the interviewer aloud taraji p Henson to talk and drop the gems for us ❤ 💎

[@capriepolanco7800]

Taraji Really spoke her honest to heart truth on the credit that’s Long over due & she deserves her acknowledgment not only for her but for others to come no matter what your profession is within life. I respect all that she expresses from the soul. We deserve more as women & men as well as the righteous generation coming up.

[@sonjaanderson6933]

Lets go see this movie, we need this to be big. This is all the ladies that were working for years in one way or the other and still dont get their fowers as others. We need this for them and us.

[@ronprince7571]

I ❤Taraji and RESPECT and TRULY APPRECIATE and ENJOY her performances and want her to ACHIEVE ALL THAT SHE WANTS AND DESERVES for her HARD WORK and TOP TIER LEADING LADY PERFORMANCES. I will ALWAYS SUPPORT HER PERFORMANCE in whatever way she is performing

[@zinaallen9856]

I pray Taraji lands the script of a lifetime and gets paid!❤❤👏🏽 Taraji 2024 is your year!

[@ouranoswealthgroup7042]

I LOVE the way the host phrases that first question. VERY true. That's exactly what I felt about this Shug. I love Ms. Avery in the role and of course that is the image that stays as very good because it was the original, but Taraji brings a different energy to the role that does make us feel that we could relate to her more. Very well said. I knew it was something different that I liked but I couldn't articulate it. That's it! But, I also think that it comes from the actress knowing what roles to choose as well as knowing herself and seeing herself in the roles. Every role Taraji chooses she seems to embody naturally. I think it's smart & fearless!! 🔥💜👑🏁