THANK GOD. Thank you, W Magazine, for putting Taraji P. Henson on the July cover. I have been disturbed by the lack of major magazine covers and mainstream coverage of Taraji’s success in the past year. Taraji has been around for a while, working steadily and even earning an Oscar nomination, but in the past year, she’s reached a new level of stardom and it finally looks like magazines are starting to notice. The Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott editorial is really great too – you can see the slideshow here (there is one NSFW photo, so beware). The photos are sexy as hell and I will take Taraji looking sexed-up ANY DAY over the endless array of interchangeable white “starlets” looking damp and boring. As for the interview, it’s mostly about Empire, but there are some really interesting quotes. Some highlights:
She wanted to play Precious in ‘Precious’: “Lee wanted me for the thin, pretty teacher in Precious. And I was like, ‘Well, I want to play Precious—because that’s the role in this piece.’ Lee thought I was nuts. I was like, ‘Look, they turned Charlize Theron into a monster! I could be this girl!’ When I think about that now, it was such a Cookie move.”
Being asked to audition for Empire: “I was like, This is stupid. Hip-hop—dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. But then I started to think, Cookie is going to piss so many people off! She hits her son with a broom; she talks back. Clearly, this was a challenge.”
The social media love for Cookie Lyon: “They want Cookie. They see her heart. They see her intentions. And they love her style—her style is 17 years behind the fashion curve, which makes the clothes a character on the show. As Cookie grows, you’ll see her fashion grow. And people love that—she’s a work in progress. The only thing that never changes is her spirit: To me, Cookie is living, breathing, walking truth.”
The criticism Cookie gets for not being an appropriate role model: “When I hear that Cookie is a bad representation of black women, I don’t get involved. Maybe Cookie makes you uncomfortable because she reminds you of yourself. People miss the bigger picture when they start judging.”
Being a young mother & working in LA: “It was a struggle. But my son grew as my career grew. I never had a nanny—I did TV so I could be home with him. I wasn’t making my millions, but I was able to fulfill my dreams and be a mother.”
Being asked to audition for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: “I didn’t take it seriously. I mean, they had Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt—why would they want me? I thought it was a runaround, and I decided to hold an epic garage sale that day instead. I had mannequins. I had glasses with wig heads. I had champagne ready. And then my agent called and said, ‘Shut that garage door! Fincher wants to see you.’ ”
Being nominated for an Oscar: “I lost, but it was the best time of my life. Brad and Angelina rushed up to me and said, ‘Are you okay?’ I was like, ‘Yes! Can I get some more wine?!’ They were more concerned about my name not being called than I was.”
The roles for black actresses: “Not only would I never be offered a character like Cookie in a movie, but she doesn’t exist. Cookie is bold and crazy, and she loves the struggle. She started from nothing, and now she’s at the top. In that way, we’re alike: Cookie is the American Dream.”
I love the Brangelina story, of course. As for all of the talk about Cookie Lyon – I enjoy the fact that Taraji and Cooke are getting all of the best press out of Empire. Terrence Howard is an abusive a—hole and the best possible scenario is that people just ignore him completely and focus on Taraji.
Photos courtesy of W Magazine.
Everything she has spoken is #truth.
TV is where we’re finally starting to see varied and cultured black women of all different molds. I especially like Empire because we see so many multitudes and varieties of black (ugh don’t make me start talking about empire I will gush) men and women with different issues.
It’s nice to see a woman blatantly and confidently own who she is and how that gets represented through the lens of black woman. Cookie don’t take no stuff and it’s love to see that treated with respect and admiration.
It’s great that she’s having the time of her life. But it’s just a fictional character…
-1
Cookie went to prison. She started Empire with drug money. How is that the american dream?
I was just thinking the same thing. Is that really the American dream? I like the show though.
She tried to murder her ex too. Sure the character is well-developed, it’s very different from I have seen on mainstream TV, usually a Cookie-type of character is seen briefly in an episode of a police procedural show, most likely accused of a crime. Sure, Cookie loves her children, but the whole point of Empire is about successful people who are extremely flawed, almost intolerable.
The American Dream needs to be redefined.
It helps that they used a real life person as the inspiration for the show and especially ‘Cookie’. The woman who inspired that character is ballsy and a don.
LAK, that may well be. But the character, not the woman, is a not in my opinion the definition of American Dream.
What is your definition of the American dream? (no snark, genuinely want to know)
How did Joe Kennedy start his Empire ,imported liquor during Prohibition, working with mobsters.Are the Kennedy’s the American Dream?
Because ill-gotten gains are the root of most American empires.
That means if I follow the rules and don’t break the law I won’t achieve the american dream? That’s good to know.
Yeah, basically.
That was very insightful. That’s an interesting perspective you have.
Thanks. I strive for an economy of language in all communication.
Not trying to be sarcastic but if you follow all the rules and break no laws the odds of you achieving the ‘American Dream’ (excess wealth and power I assume?) is pretty slim.
Ruthlessness has a lot to do with those people we see who are incredibly wealthy.
There’s a difference between breaking the rules and bending the rules. Ruthlessness doesn’t require breaking laws. This notion that you have to be a crook to make it is ridiculous.
But if they did everything legally, they wouldn’t have made it. Heck, I doubt there are many millionaires out tthere who did do everything legally.
Lol Tataji never said Cookie is the American Dream but she herself is living the American Dream.
I chuckle when Chris Rock said “Behind every fortune is a crime”. Then I think of how The Kennedy’s were bootlegging whiskey back in the day….look at them now
Taraji is giving me Diana Ross and giving me Janet” No Sleeep”Jackson in these pics.
I was thinking that too. Especially the Diana Ross. My mum had the album cover of Ross that inspired this look which I made into a poster for my wall. Still love that version of Diana Ross today.
She is an awesome actress, and I’m so glad she’s getting the recognition she deserves.
The “American Dream” is long dead. Very very few people can actually start from nothing and succeed.
Taraji is a great actress, but she gives me shades of diva behaviour.
That is true. It is all about who you know and most importantly coming from a rich family to begin with.
I don’t see the problem in that, as long as you are doing honest work and not ripping people off.
You don’t see a problem in people getting jobs based on who they ( or their parents) know? Lovely.
In an ideal world, all schools would be state schools and people would be rewarded based on merit, but we don’t. Rich kids will get trough life swimingly no matter how stupid they are, and poor kids probably won’t no matter how smart they are.
And to maintain a real career actual talent is required. And proper mgmt, agent, networking etc etc. there are always new people able to do the same role…no one is irreplaceable.
I enjoy Empire and the characters are well-drawn. Yes it’s fiction…surely a music empire couldn’t be built on a platform of drugs & murder?
Homage to Diana Ross?
https://twitter.com/eb4prez/status/613340206117351425
Taraji looks great in the photos. Reminds me of 90s era Janet Jackson.
Those photos of Janet Jackson were homaging the Diana Ross cover art from her 1980 ‘Diana’ album.
What we have here is Taraji homaging 1990s Janet who homaged 1980 Diana. And i’m sure Diana was homaging someone else.
I am so happy she is getting her time to shine.
Great shoot. Janet Jackson, anyone?
Never seen Empire but she looks gorgeous in these photos.
Taraji looks fantastic on the cover! She’s definitely the embodiment of the American dream – working hard to achieve success while staying drama-free. Not sure why some are hell-bent on labeling her a “diva”…ugh.
As long as you don’t get caught , crime pays. I don’t care who agrees or disagrees . The Kardashians are plenty loved and admired by millions and look at how they’ve made $
Let’s stop pretending people
I want that white T-shirt that she is wearing on the cover. Yes, those are the type of things I notice. LOL. She looks great. I was just watching Four Brothers last night, and she hasn’t aged a bit.
I met Taraji in front of my hotel in London on April 17th. She was SO flipping nice!! I wish I could post the pic I have of the two of us. Love her!