Taraji P. Henson spoke out again against the pay disparity within Hollywood.
On Saturday, the actress received recognition for her captivating portrayal of Shug Avery in the 2023 film “The Color Purple.” During her acceptance speech, Henson delivered a moving address, recounting the aftermath of her advocacy for equal pay for Black actresses. She also expressed gratitude towards her fans and colleagues who stood by her amidst the media attention.
“This is a surprise. I’m grateful. I just want to thank you all so much for showing up for me so much all the time. You showed up and showed out for me in a big way,” Henson said. “It’s a scary thing to speak your truth, and I urge you all to speak your truth because it’s all we have. But you know what they say, ‘The truth shall set you free.'”
Henson previously shed light on the inner workings of the industry. During the press tour for “The Color Purple,” Henson addressed the issue of pay disparity in Hollywood. The actress recounted how the unjust treatment nearly pushed her to quit acting altogether, reaching a breaking point.
“I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do [and] getting paid a fraction of the cost,” Henson began. “I’m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired. I hear people go, ‘You work a lot.’ Well, I have to. The math ain’t math-ing. When you start working a lot, you have a team. Big bills come with what we do. We don’t do this alone. It’s a whole team behind us. They have to get paid.”
She added, “When you hear someone go, ‘Such and such made $10 million’—that didn’t make it to their account. Off the top, ‘Uncle Sam’ is getting 50 percent. Now you have $5 million. Your team is getting 30 percent off what you gross, not after what ‘Uncle Sam’ took. Now do the math.”
