Taraji P. Henson has long been an equal pay advocate, particularly speaking out about uplifting fellow Black actresses. In a recent interview, she further highlighted “the difference between women and men in Hollywood.”
During a recent conversation on Making Space with Hoda Kotb, the Oscar nominee was asked about her efforts to call attention to film career disparities, which prompted her to recall a specific instance following the 2001 release of late director John Singleton‘s young adult hood drama film Baby Boy.
“It was huge for me back then. I was a female lead, I was new to Hollywood, and I just remember everybody coming to me going, ‘Oh my God, you’re gonna blow up. Do you understand what John Singleton does to people’s careers? Look at this person and this person.’ But I don’t know, discernment told me something different. And I just knew it wasn’t gonna be that way,” she began.
The Empire alumna continued, “I hadn’t even really fully figured out the politics of Hollywood yet. But I just know that something sat on my heart, and was like, ‘I don’t know if that’s gonna be my story, I don’t know that that’s gonna happen like that overnight for me.’ And so, sure enough — but I knew deep down it would for Tyrese.”
Henson clarified that she doesn’t harbor any ill will, but was rather noting the difference in subsequent career trajectory. “And it’s no hate or anything — I just knew … But it still didn’t hit me yet, because I was still working. As long as I had a job, I was cool.”
The four-time Emmy-nominated actress singled out franchise projects in particular: “After Baby Boy, Tyrese booked two franchise films, huge! Transformers and Fast and Furious. I still have not booked my franchise film. Been in the game almost 30 years. No franchise film.”
She concluded, “I’m not gonna cry about it. I mean, it just, I know what it is now. Now I’m on the other side of the table now. You can’t hurt my feelings anymore because now I know there’s politics involved. It still sucks, but I’m not setting myself up to hurt my own feelings.”
