Taraji P. Hensonis clarifying her thoughts following atearful interview that touched on pay disparities for Black women in Hollywood.
On Instagram Thursday, the Oscar-nominated actress, 53, acknowledged the social media responses to her Tuesday interview withGayle KingforSiriusXMradio, when she expressed she was “tired of working so hard” and “getting paid a fraction of the cost.”
“Thank you for responding to my message with the compassion, understanding and support that I’ve received,” Henson wrote in the caption, sharing a photo of her andOprah Winfrey, executive producer of the new movie musicalThe Color Purple.
“It is so important for black women and ALL women of color to support each other,” continued Henson. “It is also imperative to have women of color in decision making positions across ALL industries.”
Winfrey, she then wrote, “has been nothing less than a steady and solid beacon of light to ALL OF THE CAST of The Color Purple!!! She has provided ENCOURAGEMENT, GUIDANCE and UNWAVERING SUPPORT to us all.”
Keke Palmer, who was among thestars who reshared Henson’s candid interviewand spoke out about pay disparities, commented on the Instagram post: “I love you sistaaaaha REAL BAD.”
“I hear people go, ‘You work a lot.’ I have to. The math ain’t mathing,” she said. “Big bills come with what we do… The fact that we’re up here, there’s a whole entire team behind us. They have to get paid.”
She voiced her frustration that “every time I do something and I break another glass ceiling, when it’s time to renegotiate I’m at the bottom again like I never did what I just did… It wears on you, you know, ‘cause what does that mean? What does that tell me?"
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(Left to right:) Oprah Winfrey, Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson and Blitz Bazawule at the 2023 ESSENCE Festival.Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE
Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE
“Not a damn lie told. Not. A. Damn. Lie,“Gabrielle Unionwrote in a post onX, resharing the clip from Henson’s interview.
Viola Davis reposted the clip on herInstagramaccount, adding the simple caption: “This!!!! THIS!!! 👆🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿”
In 2022, Henson indicated on thePEOPLE Every Daypodcastthat she’sconsidered leaving the U.S.“I’m really considering getting up out of here, leaving and living in another country,” she said at the time. “That’s something that comes with 50, you get tired of fighting. I’m tired.”
Henson plays Shug Avery in the newColor Purplemovie, which is adapted from the hit 1985 film and 2005 Broadway musical and costarsFantasia Barrino, Colman Domingo, Louis Gossett Jr., David Alan Grier, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Deon Cole, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R. and more.
TheColor Purpleis in theaters Christmas Day.
source: people.com
