
Taraji P. Henson
The Evolution of a Starlet
Cover Story by MJ Gillison
Photos by: John Russo
This Academy Award Nominee leads a new wave of actresses who are forging a path from urban films to mainstream
Taraji P. Hensen has been told that she has the eyes of
Betty Davis, the spitfire personality of Debbie Allen
and the stage presence of the inimitable Ms. Ruby
Dee. So maybe that’s why this versatile starlet has no
problem taking her roles from the hustling streets to
the majestic throne. She is no doubt one of the most
exciting breakthrough actresses of this generation.
Yet, on any given day, you will find Taraji waking up
at 7a.m. to prepare a home-cooked breakfast for her
son before she sends him out into the world. “I am
very hands-on and I want to make sure my son has
the energy he needs to go off to school and have a
productive day. I don’t have an assistant. It’s all me.
Taking care of my son is my number-one priority.”
Of course, the next focus is her dynamic career.
if it seems as though she is strategic when picking
her scripts, Taraji says she has an eye for what’s good.
She reads the scripts, and if she likes one, goes after
it. Acting is a craft and is also a business. “Acting is
so much more than just looking cute in front of a
camera.” Having been trained in theater at Howard
University, this Hollywood starlet says she spent a lot
of money on learning her art and thanks God that
she has been successful and able to pay it all back.
Although many people peg her as a dramatic actress,
her success is not built on blind ambition and unharnessed
talent: She had to cultivate her artistry. She
credits her skill for the dramatic to her early theater
work, including staring in Greek tragedies and from
being able to draw from her own experiences. “I think
I was able to relate to those types of works because,as they say my life wasn’t all bad but it aint
exactly been no crystal stair.”
When asked what she thinks of the film
industry today and the availability of nonstereotypical
roles for black women, Taraji
says she doesn’t buy into all the hype. Always
being the extreme optimist, Henson believes
there are a lot of great roles out there and has
never been one to “turn up her nose” to any
role. “I don’t judge characters because they
are based on real people and there is a reason
why that person is the way they are. Honestly,
if you think about it, no woman wakes up
and aspires to be a whore. But, because of
life’s circumstances they have ended up that
way. Regardless, it is my job as an actress to
portray that role, not judge it.”
Ultimately, there is no role too tough for
the free-spirited Hensen to play. From her
role as a pimp’s pregnant girlfriend in “Hustle
and Flow” to the career oriented, high acheiving,
sales professional in “Not Easily Broken”,
she has transitioned flawlessly between the
characters. Her portrayal of “Queenie” in “The
Curious Case of Benjamin Button” even had the
moviegoers believing it was possible to love
such an ugly, odd-looking baby. That carefully
crafted portayal led to an Academy Award
nomination for best supporting actress. “I
know several actresses who have been locked
into a certain type of role because directors
think that is all they can
do. I think that is BS … I
know I can do anything.
Acting is my craft; it’s
what I studied and what
I do. Just give me a dialect
coach like they give
to other actresses and I
will have you believing
anything.”
What is missing in
Hollywood is a “black
Meryl Streep” despite
the fact that there are
plenty of talented black
actresses. Hensen says
there is no reason why she or Sanaa Lathan
shouldn’t be able to fill that role.
Now, one might think that this Oscar nominated
actress might be a little high maintenance
like some of the roles she has played
on screen. But that is certainly not the case
with Ms. Henson; no pompous behavior exists
here. This unpretentious thesbian proclaims
to be a total home body. Although she is
forging a path in film, Taraji, still proclaims to
be “the coolest mother on Earth,” and notes
that she is the one who takes her 14-year-old
to school and tries to attend all of his basketball
games. “If I miss one, I have to call him to
get the blow by blow of what happened. It
seems like my baby has grown up so quickly
and I just want to cherish the time I have left
with him before he goes away to college. I
am already saddened by the fact that I only
have a few years left.”
In fact, most of her time is spent at
home rather than out and about.
Taraji takes pride in her home and
prefers to relax there. “I love my
house and I have done a lot of work to
make it my own.” She describes her Spanish
style bungalow as being warm and very inviting
with gorgeous breathtaking views. The
home is located in a prime spot that hosts
both a lively city view of downtown Glendale,
California and a relaxing outdoors view of the
mountains. “It is so serene. My home is my
sanctuary and I try to spend as much time
as possible there.” This well-rounded actress
describes herself as being both a city girl and
a country girl. “I’m kind of like that song by
War called ‘City Country’ .”
Despite being raised in the city, Taraji spent
her summers with her grandparents in Scotland
Neck, North Carolina, a very, small town.
As a kid, she hated going to the rural country
town because there was nothing to do. But
now she thinks back on the past and relishes
the time she spent there. “It makes you appreciate
life.” Thinking back on the little things
we take for granted, she cherishes the memo-
ries of clean fresh linen, clothes hanging on
the line and picking fresh fruits and vegetables
from her grandparents’ garden. “I used to love
picking corn, shucking it and sitting at my
grandma’s table eating it and having the corn
juice running down my elbows. My grandpop
used to tell me to make him a mator sandwich.
When I think about those summers, it reminds
me that ‘quiet moments’ are the most powerful
because that is where you find yourself.”
Maybe it was those quiet moments
that helped Henson
focus on what type of career
she wanted. She reminisces
about sending her mother
dramatic letters when she was away from
home during those summers. “I have always
had a bit of a flare for the dramatic. My letters
would start out with a drawing of one tear
drop, and as the weeks went, on the tears
would get bigger and increase with each letter
and the final one would literally end with a
puddle of tears.” She gets her dramatic side
from her mother, who Taraji says acts out every
little emotion. Her comedic side comes from
her late father, whom she describes as funny.
Drawing from both sides of the family
tree, Henson’s confidence is exhibited in the
range of characters she has played. From the
thumb-sucking baby’s momma in Baby Boy, to
a dangerous bisexual hit woman in Smoking
Aces, she has a versatile body of work. She has
also appeared in Four Brothers and Something
New. As Taraji continues to push the limits in
the industry, she will star opposite Oscar Winner
Forest Whitaker in the soon-to-be released
film Hurricane Season. Taraji P. Hensen remains
one of the very few actresses expanding their
influence and impacting Hollywood.
Don't miss the full interview and photo spread with Taraji P. Hensen in this issue of Monarch Magazine in stores now. Subscribe to Monarch.
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