(Courtesy: Dalvin Adams, @tarajiphenson/Instagram)
Actress Taraji P. Henson recently made an appearance on Gayle King’s SiriusXM show and broke out into tears over the unequal pay women of colour receive in Hollywood
Henson was on the show promoting her latest movie, The Color Purple, with Director Blitz Bazawule and co-star Danielle Brooks.
During the interview, King asked Henson if she’s considering ending her acting career. She became visibly upset while wiping her tears away and responded, “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. You get tired.”
Henson spoke about the pay inequality she has dealt with as a Black woman and the challenges she faces trying to negotiate higher pay.
“I hear people go, ‘You work a lot,’ I have to! The math ain’t mathin’.”
The Oscar-nominated actress continued, “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.”
Bazawule also told Henson during the interview, “T, Calling you was giving you your flowers.
The Empire star also posted on Instagram thanking Oprah for responding to her message.
“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 captioned the post.
In response to the video, other Black stars in Hollywood show their support online.
Viola Davis reposted the video.
And Gabrielle Union posted on X saying,
Keke Palmer also posted on Instagram with a lengthy caption and quoted Beyoncé’s song, “America we have a problem.”
