Taraji P. Henson is a busy woman.
The Oscar nominated actress is currently filming Think Like A Man Too and also gearing up for the release of her new film From The Rough, starring the late Michael Clark Duncan. We caught up with Taraji fresh from a weekend in Barbados for producer Will Packer’s 40th birthday to talk about a bunch of topics.
Taraji gave us the 411 on her role in From The Rough, working with Michael Clark Duncan, returning to Think Like A Man, and what happened when an overzealous fan got a little to close.
Taraji On Her Character in From The Rough:
“Dr. Catana Starks is a professor, coach from Tennessee State University (a historically black university) and at the time she was a professor there, they started a men’s golf team. No one wanted to take the job, so she did. With all the odds stacked against her – people hated on her, didn’t think she do it – well, she took this team to the NCAA Division 1 championship and won.
They beat everybody. To this day, her record, and her team’s record, has not been when you think of men’s teams, you don’t think female coaches. But it’s easy for people to see all female teams with male coaches, no one ever questions that.
But I’m sure there are other women, other coaches in the world besides Dr. Starks. I’m just glad that I was part of bringing her story to life, because it’s very powerful.”
On Working With Michael Clark Duncan:
“Working with Michael Clark Duncan was amazing. I was so honored to share the screen with him. Still hurt that he’s not here, I can’t believe it. There were a lot of laughs, we had a lot of good times, and I hate that he’s not going to be on this journey to see this.
Every time someone says (how was it working with Michael Clark Duncan?) it’s weird. You forget, and then you get reminded.
It’s gonna be bittersweet. We finally get a premiere. We finally get this film on the big screen. And then we have one of our members who won’t be there with us, it’s just sad.”
On Getting Hollywood To Make More Positive Roles For Black Actors:
“I’m very proud of it. This is what we all scream about. We want more positive role models, more positive roles on TV and film. Here we have this opportunity to prove to Hollywood that films like this, stories like this, can make money.
This is the time to do it. They’re doing the slow roll out, so it’s only gonna be in 200 theaters. So if it doesn’t do well in those 200 theaters, then they won’t give it a wider release. And then when they try to tell another story like this, it’s gonna be even harder to get it green-lit.”
On Celebrating Will Packer For His 40th Birthday:
“It was amazing. It was close-knit friends, all of whom know each other from the business or one of Will’s projects. It was just a time for us to lift him up and to celebrate him – all the hard work. He’s kept a lot of people working. He started a lot of careers. So we owe him a lot.
Not that he thinks that we owe him, but it was just beautiful for us to share his celebration with him. He’s done so much for me, I know for sure, and for so many people out there.”
On The Haters:
“I face hate everyday, but that’s life. It’s a spiritual warfare. It’s the good against the bad, negative against the positive, love against hate.
So I wake up everyday understanding that. I don’t let it affect me; it’s just what it is. Some humans got your back and some don’t. Everybody doesn’t love me, and I’m not walking around with blinders on. I don’t have time to think about the ones that don’t, all I have is time to think about the ones that do. That’s how I walk my line, I don’t worry about the naysayers.
It really doesn’t [bother me], it hasn’t stopped my success. It hasn’t stopped me from living my dream or my passion. If you have no haters, you’re doing it all wrong.”
On Her Run-In With An Extremely Touchy Fan:
“When we were in the Bahamas, this guy comes by and he doesn’t ask if he can take a picture, he sits down at the table with me and my girlfriends, and he proceeds to put his arms around me and my friend is like, ‘No, no, no, you will not be hugging her, you will not be touching her.’ But they had to chase him out of there, because he saw me.
And I understand, I get it. It’s not like I’m in the Bahamas everyday, or this person’s gonna see me every day, so when they see me, it’s like, ‘Oh My God, I can’t believe it’s her.’ I get it, but sometimes, people get a little overzealous.”
From The Rough hits select theaters this Friday.
PHOTO CREDIT: Instagram
