In a show of solidarity, Taraji P. Henson and Oprah Winfrey have put to rest any speculations of tension between them, with both praising each other online.
Henson, an advocate for pay equality, has been vocal about the pay disparity faced by Black actors in Hollywood. She highlighted her experience with a significant pay gap in her Oscar-nominated role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Recently, rumors circulated that Henson’s frustrations were linked to Oprah Winfrey, the executive producer of The Color Purple musical, where Henson is currently performing. To counter these rumors, Henson took to Instagram to credit Winfrey for her unwavering support to the entire cast of The Color Purple.
In her post, Henson stated:
“Ms. OPRAH has been nothing less than a steady and solid beacon of light to ALL OF THE CAST of The Color Purple!!! She told me personally to reach out to her for ANYTHING I needed, and I did!”
Oprah Winfrey reciprocated the sentiment, praising Henson for her performance and extending a warm welcome to the “Purple sisterhood.”
While the pay gaps issue was not directly addressed by Winfrey in her post, both women presented a united front amid calls for Winfrey to address the concerns.
Henson, breaking barriers, shared the challenges she faced in pay negotiations as a Black woman in Hollywood.
She vowed not to let Hollywood “steal her soul” and promised to continue fighting for change. Her revelations echo the sentiments of other Black actresses, including Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, who have spoken out about the pay gaps for Black women compared to their white counterparts.
Spencer notably shared her positive experience when Jessica Chastain supported her in negotiating equal pay on a collaborative project.
