{"id":590824,"date":"2026-04-18T01:29:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T01:29:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/590824\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T01:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T01:29:13","slug":"taraji-p-henson-says-hollywood-franchise-movies-wont-cast-her","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/590824\/","title":{"rendered":"Taraji P. Henson Says Hollywood Franchise Movies Won’t Cast Her"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tTaraji P. Henson<\/a> appeared on a recent episode of Hoda Kotb\u2019s \u201cMaking Space\u201d podcast<\/a> (via People<\/a>) and reflected on the moment she realized just how differently male and female actors are treated in Hollywood. The Oscar nominee got her movie breakthrough in John Singleton\u2019s 2001 coming-of-age movie \u201cBaby Boy,\u201d which also happened to mark the feature film debut of Tyrese<\/a> Gibson. But only one of them became a franchise star.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThat was huge for me. I was I was a female lead. I was new to Hollywood, and I just remember everybody coming to me going, \u2018Oh my God, you\u2019re gonna blow up. Do you understand what John Singleton does to people\u2019s careers? Look at this person and this person,’\u201d Henson remembered. \u201cBut I don\u2019t know, discernment told me something different. And I just knew it wasn\u2019t gonna be that way. Something sat on my heart, and it was like, \u2018I don\u2019t know that that\u2019s gonna happen like that overnight for me.\u2019 And so, sure enough\u2026 but I knew deep down it would for Tyrese.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAfter\u00a0\u2018Baby Boy,\u2019 Tyrese booked two franchise movies, huge:\u00a0\u2018Transformers\u2019\u00a0and\u00a0\u2018Fast and Furious,’\u201d she continued. \u201cI still have not booked my franchise film. Been in the game almost 30 years. No franchise film. I\u2019m not gonna cry about it. I mean\u2026 I know what it is now. I\u2019m on the other side of the table now. You can\u2019t hurt my feelings anymore because now I know there\u2019s politics involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIt should be noted that Henson has appeared in franchises, mainly via voice roles like the ones she had in \u201cRalph Breaks the Internet,\u201d \u201cMinions: The Rise of Gru\u201d and \u201cPaw Patrol: The Mighty Movie.\u201d She also had a supporting role in the 2010 franchise entry \u201cThe Karate Kid,\u201d though it appears in her interview with Kotb she was talking about not having any sizable role in a major live-action Hollywood franchise.<\/p>\n

\n\tHenson has never been one to stay quiet on Hollywood\u2019s mistreatment of women, especially women of color. She notable took a month off from work and relocated to Bali last year after feeling \u201cdiscouraged\u201d by the film and TV industry machine.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI was just frustrated and it was making me bitter, and I\u2019m not a bitter person,\u201d Henson told Variety<\/a> in May 2025, nodding to continued struggles<\/a> in Hollywood over the lack of prominent roles, pay and awards recognition for women of color. \u201cI made a promise to myself if I ever got there then it\u2019s time to walk away. I\u2019m not serving myself or the audience or the characters I play. Thank god I did that. I came back refreshed and with a new perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHenson noted that she had spent years being \u201cgraceful in getting paid less than. Not anymore though!\u201d When she returned from her month break in Bali, she dove head first into non-acting business opportunities like her beauty brand TPH \u201cinstead of relying on that check from Hollywood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tDuring\u00a0a viral SiriusXM interview<\/a>\u00a0in December 2023 during her \u201cColor Purple\u201d press tour, Henson broke down in tears while discussing the pay disparity issues she still faces in Hollywood despite her success on \u201cEmpire\u201d and having an Oscar nomination under her belt.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI\u2019m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do [and] getting paid a fraction of the cost,\u201d Henson said. \u201cI\u2019m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over\u2026Every time I do something and break another glass ceiling, when it\u2019s time to renegotiate I\u2019m at the bottom again like I never did what I just did, and I\u2019m tired. I\u2019m tired. It wears on you. What does that mean? What is that telling me? If I can\u2019t fight for them coming up behind me then what the fuck am I doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHenson is currently gearing up to make her Broadway debut opposite Cedric the Entertainer in a revival of August Wilson\u2019s \u201cJoe Turner\u2019s Come and Gone.\u201d<\/p>\n