The actress recently shared some praise for one iconic superstar after her high-profile conversation with Gayle King.
Taraji P. Henson is sharing some love for one particular global superstar and media icon who has been a "beacon of light" for her -- amid her struggle for fair pay.
Henson recently got choked up when discussing the harsh reality of Hollywood's significant pay inequality and disparity on the basis of race and gender, which she's faced and suffered from throughout her career.
On Thursday, Henson took to Instagram to clarify some of her comments, and share some praise for Oprah Winfrey -- who served as a producer on the new musical imagining of The Color Purple, in which Henson stars as Shug Avery.
"It is so important for black women and ALL women of color to support each other," Henson captioned the post, which featured a photo of herself and Winfrey standing on the viewing platform at the top of the Empire State Building. "It is also imperative to have women of color in decision making positions across ALL industries."
"Thank you for responding to my message with the compassion, understanding and support that I’ve received," she continued. "With that being said…Ms. OPRAH has been nothing less than a steady and solid beacon of light to ALL OF THE CAST of The Color Purple!!!"
"She has provided ENCOURAGEMENT, GUIDANCE and UNWAVERING SUPPORT to us all," she continued. "She told me personally to reach out to her for ANYTHING I needed, and I did! It took ONE CALL… ONE CONVERSATION… and ONE DECISION MAKING BLACK WOMAN to make me feel heard."
"Thank You Ms. @OPRAH For ALL That You Do," Henson concluded.
Henson's emotional comments about pay disparity in the entertainment industry arose during a recent conversation with Gayle King for SiriusXM radio, while promoting The Color Purple.
Henson was joined by Color Purple co-star Danielle Brooks and director Blitz Bazawule, and things became somber when Henson opened up about her frustrations over the industry's lack of fair pay, implying that the longstanding issues are determining factors in whether she gives up acting for good.
"I'm just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, [and] getting paid a fraction of the cost," she said. "I'm tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired. I hear people say 'you work a lot!' I have to. The math ain't mathing. And when you start working a lot, you have a team. Big bills come with what we do, we don't do this alone."
"I'm only human. Every time I do something and break another glass ceiling, when it's time to renegotiate I'm at the bottom again like I never did what I just did, and I'm tired," she lamented. "I'm tired. It wears on you. What does that mean? What is that telling me? If I can't fight for them coming up behind me, then what the f**k am I doing?"
Breaking into frustrated tears, Henson noted that despite her various successes, she still gets told there isn't money on the table during negotiations because Black actors and stories "don't translate overseas," among other excuses.
"I'm tired hearing of that my entire career," Henson said. "Twenty-plus years in the game, and I hear the same thing, and I see what you do for another production, but when it's time to go to bat for us, they don't have any money. They play in your face. And I'm just supposed to smile and grin and bear it. Enough is enough!"
The Color Purple -- also starring Fantasia Barrino, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Batiste, David Alan Gried, Deon Cole and Louis Gossett Jr. -- comes out in theaters Dec. 25.
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