Taraji P. Henson
Taraji P. Henson
Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress and singer. She studied acting at Howard University and began her Hollywood career in guest-roles on several television shows before making her breakthrough in Baby Boy. In 2005, she starred in Hustle & Flow and played Queenie in David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, for which she received an Academy Award nomination. In 2010, she appeared in the comedy Date Night and co-starred in the remake of The Karate Kid. In...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionActress
Date of Birth11 September 1970
CountryUnited States of America
I'm not a selfish actor. I believe that it's a team effort. You're not in a scene by yourself.
I don't ever want to get boxed in, playing the same characters, over and over again. That's why I prefer features over television.
A lot of times characters are combinations of people I come across in life. I people-watch a lot.
When I come home, it's about my kid, who needs to eat, needs to do homework, and needs to get to basketball. I don't have a lot of time to think about me.
I'm always interested in challenging myself and pushing, and seeing how far I can go.
I've been doing a lot of drama, but I feel like comedy is my strength.
I like to disappear in my roles because I don't have an assistant.
I'm always the cousin that can't make it to the family functions because I'm busy.
With camera phones and, you know, iPad's and cameras at stoplights, it's like I just want to drive around with a bag on my head because I just feel like everyone's watching.
Sometimes you have to say the words exactly how they are on the page, but sometimes when you improv, it only helps to get across what's on the page, and I just love working with directors who allow that.
Improvisation helps because you get what's on the page and you make it a little more palatable to your tongue. And that's the beauty of creating and being spontaneous. That's the way I love to work.
When I go home to visit, they never treat me like a celebrity. They still treat me like TJ. If I leave dishes in the sink, they'll let me know.
I'm always talking to the writers because I find it so fascinating, how they're able to go to these different levels with the different stories, and have all these layers to peel back.
Something happens to a woman when she can't reproduce. I've not had to walk that path, but I can only imagine when your organs don't work and how that could make you feel.