This sounds like her complaints have definitely made some rumbles and she’s being asked to clean this up.
After quite the negative campaign, Taraji P. Henson now wishes the narrative surrounding “The Color Purple” changes. It all started in December when during an interview about the film, Taraji made it known that she was fed up with the industry. She said she was sick of being underpaid, including the moment she almost turned down the role of Shug Avery because she felt low-balled.
Later, Gayle King asked Henson about her saying she wanted to retire. Taraji got teary, saying, “I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, getting paid a fraction of the cost. I’m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over.” “It seems every time I break another glass ceiling, when it’s time to renegotiate, I’m at the bottom again like I never did what I just did.”
After her comments went viral, Henson sat down for another interview. In it, she spoke out about racism in Hollywood, pay inequality, and the unfair working conditions on sets, including TCP where she revealed an issue where she had to fight for the cast being asked to drive themselves to set. This also sparked major online rumors that Taraji had a beef of sorts with Oprah Winfrey, who produced the film.
Now, Henson is asking that attention return to the film.. “I hope they can focus back onto this film, because right now, to me, it feels like what I said is now becoming louder than this beautiful film,” Henson stated.
“And that’s not fair to me, or anybody in the film,” Henson continues, “because the film deals with women who are oppressed — who live in an oppressed system. Men and women. And all the characters in that film except for the white people. So that movie is about healing. That movie is about sisterhood.”
This is hard because Taraji should speak up but at the same time timing is important. It seems like before the promo campaign, all of the conversation was about the excitement and praise of Fantasia and Danielle Brooks performances in the film.. but then it quickly all turned sour and negative following Taraji’s grievances. What’s your take on this mess?
