Taraji P. Henson Almost Walked Away From ‘The Color Purple’ Due to Pay Disparity

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December 20, 2023

Kaitlin Simpson, Us Weekly

Fantasia Barrino as Celie and Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery in “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros. Entertainment)

Taraji P. Henson admitted that she almost didn’t accept her role in The Color Purple due to a pay disparity.

“I almost had to walk away from The Color Purple,” Henson, 53, said in a Tuesday, December 19, live interview for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, which earned gasps from the audience. “Yes, ma’am. … If I don’t take a stand, how am I making it easy for Fantasia [Barrino] and Danielle [Brooks] and Halle [Bailey] and Phylicia [Pearl Mpasi]? Why am I doing this, if it’s all just for me?”

While Henson didn’t share details about the discrepancy in her offer, she noted that she hadn’t received a “raise” since she starred in the 2018 film Proud Mary.

“I’m getting really tired of Black women having the same story, it’s breaking my heart,” she admitted. “It’s like every time you achieve something really incredible, it’s almost like the industry looks at it like a fluke.”

Read more about Henson’s struggles in the original article.

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