In a wide-ranging interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation about her career, Taraji P. Henson says she “fired” her entire team for not helping her capitalize on her Empire fame.
Henson was Emmy nominated for playing fan favorite Cookie Lyon on the one-time Fox phenomenon, but the actress expressed frustration with the fact that the show’s success didn’t translate to any other opportunities.
When Henson was asked what the smartest business decision she made in Hollywood, she answered without hesitation, “Firing everybody after Cookie.”
The actress vented, “Where’s my commercial? Cookie was at the top of the fashion game. Where is my endorsement? What did you have set up for after this?””
The Color Purple star then told the audience, “That’s why y’all haven’t seen me in so long. They had nothing set up.”
Henson explained all that might have happened was a potential spin-off of the “beloved” character, but she wasn’t interested because “they didn’t get it right.” She added, “I was like, ‘Well, that’s it,’ and they had nothing else. ‘You’re all f***** fired.”
She added, “Everybody had to f***** go.”
Henson recently broke down in tears in recounting to Gayle King her struggle securing fair compensation in Hollywood. The Oscar nominee reiterated that gripe in the SAG-AFTRA chat, explaining at this point in her career, someone has to dive so deep into their pockets they’d reach “into their socks” to hire her.
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