Coming from a father who was a janitor-slash-metal fabricator and a mother who worked as a department store manager, per an interview with Vanity Fair, Henson was not unfamiliar with working a 9 to 5 during her time in college. Check out the throwback graduation pic Henson shared on Instagram below: A post shared by taraji p henson (@tarajiphenson), Before becoming the award-winning actress that we know and love, Taraji P. Henson took a leap of faith and hustled her way to Hollywood stardom. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). However, her first prominent role came in the late John Singleton's 2001 comedy-drama film Baby Boy, where she portrayed Yvette alongside singer-actor Tyrese Gibson (pictured above). Taraji P. Henson's motto is as sweet as the meaning of her name: "to hope, to love." Taraji P. Henson and fiance Kelvin Hayden have split. She received praise for her performances as a prostitute in Hustle & Flow (2005), for which she received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture nomination; and as a single mother of a disabled child in David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin … Then, I started having thoughts about ending it. Taraji P. Henson 's showing 'em off for the world to enjoy... just one way to celebrate a milestone birthday. Updates? Act accordingly." And I love it. Henson always had a passion for performance and … The 50-year-old bravely shared that the negative thoughts came to her mind “two nights in a row” and that she owns a gun that she keeps locked in a safe. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Taraji-P-Henson, AllMovie - Biography of Taraji P. Henson. She entered North Carolina A&T State University to pursue a degree in electrical engineering but dropped out after failing a math class. Taraji P. Henson, in full Taraji Penda Henson, (born September 11, 1970, Washington, D.C.), American actress who was best known for playing strong female characters, notably Loretha (“Cookie”) Lyon in the television drama Empire (2015–20). Taraji P. Henson (Taraji Penda Henson) was born on 11 September 1970 Friday in Washington, D.C., U.S.. Taraji P. Henson Birth Date September 11, 1970 (age 50) Education Howard University, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, … (She also sang backup vocals on the latter movie’s Academy Award-winning song, “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.”) Henson earned an Oscar nomination in 2009 for best actress in a supporting role for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), in which she portrayed Queenie, the title character’s nurturing mother figure. According to Shadow and Act, the actress has been in the process of developing a spin-off to Empire based on her character Cookie Lyon. From overcoming oppression, to breaking rules, to reimagining the world or waging a rebellion, these women of history have a story to tell. In 1994, Henson gave birth to her son, Marcell Johnson, but her education didn't stop there. In Hidden Figures (2016) Henson was cast as Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who played a key role at NASA in the 1960s. Aside from acting, the Acrimony star hopes to be a guiding light for those who need help addressing their mental health challenges. She studied acting at Howard University and began her Hollywood career in guest roles on several television shows before making her breakthrough in Baby Boy (2001). Henson held several temporary jobs during her time at Howard, including night shifts singing Tina Turner renditions on a cruise ship, and working as a secretary at the Pentagon. During her time at Howard, Henson realized that she was pregnant. She told USA Today, "This is something I'm very passionate about... Acting is great. Taraji P. Henson at the 2018 Fox Network Upfront in May 2018. Her other films included Talk to Me (2007), Not Easily Broken and I Can Do Bad All by Myself (both 2009), No Good Deed (2014), and Term Life (2016). In a preview clip of Wednesday’s episode of her new talk show, “Peace of Mind with Taraji,” the “Empire” alum broke down in tears as she recalled the experience of telling her then 9-year-old … So I moved out here with my son with $700 in our pocket.". Taraji P. Henson is opening up about healing from the heartbreak of her son’s father’s murder. Taraji P. Henson is opening up about an emotionally harrowing moment in her life — figuring out how to tell her 9-year-old son that his father had been murdered. Oh my god, I feel so much better. Juggling the responsibilities of working to pay off student loans, being a single mom, and going to class, Henson recalls telling herself one piece of advice: "This is part of my journey. Henson always had a passion for performance and applied to performing arts high schools in the Maryland area. Marcel Johnson, the 24-year-old son of “Empire” star Taraji P. Henson, is quite the stunner in recent pics shared to his Instagram account. If you're curious how Taraji P. Henson found her way to stardom — and you're looking for a reason to smile and feel motivated — keep reading! Taraji P. Henson is not afraid to admit that she gets her consistency and hustle from her parents. In Swahili language, her first name ‘Taraji’ means hope and middle name ‘Penda’ means love. Making her breakthrough in the 2001 American coming-of-age hood film Baby Boy, she portrayed Yvette, the girlfriend of Joseph “Jody” Summers / Baby Boy (Tyrese Gibson). Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress. Taraji P. Henson was born on September 11, 1970 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA as Taraji Penda Henson. With only $700 in savings, a 26-year-old Henson followed her calling for acting after having a conversation with her late father about her aspirations. That's not me. She shares her favorite hair products from TPH by TARAJI, her eyeshadow technique, and her go-to lipstick. "My dad knew that acting was my calling," The Empire star told People. Ellis, a leader of the Ku Klux Klan. In December 2020, Henson revealed that she contemplated suicide for a couple of days while in quarantine after she sunk into a "dark place. The tissue box gets a lot of action during Taraji P. Henson’s talk show, Peace of Mind. Marcell was born in 1994 to Henson … Taraji P. Henson shares the secrets to her hair and beauty routine in 10 minutes. Taraji P. Henson is an actor, mental health activist, and budding beauty entrepreneur. | Photo: Getty Images STUDENT MOTHER Many may not know this but Taraji became a mother at 24 to his now 25-year-old son, Marcell Johnson. She held several temporary jobs, including one for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon. She then starred in the thrillers Proud Mary, portraying a hit woman, and Tyler Perry’s Acrimony (both 2018), in which she appeared as a betrayed and vengeful wife. The actress, born Taraji Penda Henson, was born to a working-class family in Washington, D.C. in 1970. Corrections? Taraji P. Henson Gives Stepmom’s Old Home a Modern Makeover as a Thank You for Saving Her Father Tiffani Credle May 8, 2019 “Empire” star Taraji P. Henson had a major surprise in store for the woman she credits for turning her dad’s life around. In 2018, she founded the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, which works to destigmatize mental health issues viewed as taboo in the Black community. Taraji P. Henson opened up about a heartbreaking moment in her life where she had to tell her then 9-year-old son Marcell that his father was murdered. Baby Boy was released on June 27, 2001, when Taraji P. Henson was 30 years old. in English Literature from the University of Michigan, Ann... Meet extraordinary women who dared to bring gender equality and other issues to the forefront. Henson was then cast as a sports agent who, after hitting her head, can hear men’s thoughts in What Men Want (2019), a remake of the comedy What Women Want (2000). This is Taraji P. Henson’s world and we’re just living in it. Her father was a metal fabricator and mother was a corporate manager. In 2008, the actress earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.