Taraji P. Henson is a critically acclaimed African-American actress and singer. See photos and video here of the emerging star who has received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.’
Prior to her nomination from American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Taraji P. Henson had been winning rave reviews for her role as Queenie, the adopted mother of the movie’s title character, portrayed by Brad Pitt, who has received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his role. The movie, directed by David Fincher, also stars Cate Blanchett as Benjamin Button’s love interest. In total, the movie received 13 nominations including Best Picture and Best Director.
The unusual movie, based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald story of the same title, is set in New Orleans and chronicles the life of a man who is born an elderly man in 1918 and ages backwards until he becomes a child, begins in 1918 and concludes in 2005 with Hurricane Katrina. In the movie, Queenie, who is unable to have children of her own, takes in the unusual child who has the appearance of an elderly man. She cares for him and names him Benjamin.
As a biography, Taraji Henson was born in Washington, DC in 1970 so her age is 38. She graduated from Howard University with a degree in theater arts. She is a direct descendant of explorer Mathew Henson, the 1909 co-discoverer, with Robert Peary, of the North Pole. She made her screen debut in 1998 in the action movie Streetwise and subsequently appeared in the ‘Boyz N the Hood’ sequel, ‘Baby Boy.’
But it was her performance as Shug, a pregnant prostitute in the 2005 movie ‘Hustle & Flow’ produced by John Singleton and written and directed by Craig Brewer that put her on the verge of stardom. The movie starred Terrence Howard as a Memphis hustler DJay who aspires to be a rapper and who enlists Shug to perform on some of the tracks he records as he furthers his music career. Henson had a memorable appearance at the 78th Annual Academy Awards performing the Oscar nominated song from the movie, Three 6 Mafia’s ‘It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp.’ It was the first rap song to ever receive an Academy Award nomination.
Casting director Laray Mayfield had first seen Taraji P. Henson in ‘Hustle & Flow’ and was deeply impressed.
“I couldn’t take my eyes off of her,” Mayfield says in a deep rasp. “And when she wasn’t in the scene, I missed her. That’s exactly what you want from a mother— someone who makes you feel secure when they’re there, and when they’re gone, you miss them.”
When Henson showed up at Mayfield’s Hollywood office for her Benjamin Button audition in character—long linen skirt, white blouse, hair pulled back—he was blown away. “Once she started with the reading, I lost it,” says Mayfield. “I started sobbing. It was beautiful.”
She is also appearing in the drama ‘Not Easily Broken,’ directed by Bill Duke, based on T.D. Jakes’ novel of the same title and costarring Morris Chestnut. She will also appear in the forthcoming sports drama, Tim Story’s ‘Hurricane Season’ with co-stars, Forest Whitaker, Eric Hill, Lil Wayne and Bow Wow set for release in March 2009.
On February 22, 2009, Taraji P. Henson makes an appearance at the 81st Academy Awards as a nominee who may indeed achieve a breakthrough.
Photos: wenn.com