Tears started falling down Taraji P. Henson‘s face as she spoke with Gayle King recently for Sirius XM about racial pay disparities in Hollywood. When asked if she was considering walking away from the industry, The Color Purple actor lamented that she was “tired.”
“I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, getting paid a fraction of the cost,” Henson said. “I’m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over.”
The Empire actor went on to explain that there’s a “whole team” behind her and that they “have to get paid,” as well as “Uncle Sam,” which together eats up approximately 80% of her income. “I hear people go, ‘You work a lot.’ I have to. The math ain’t mathing,” she said.
“It seems 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 just tired,” she added. “I'm tired.”
This interview has sparked a discussion in the industry, with stars like Viola Davis, Gabrielle Union, and Keke Palmer sharing the clip to their social media pages. “Not a damn lie told,” Union wrote on X. “We don't hesitate to be the change that we all need to see AND it takes a toll on your mind, health, soul, and career if we're keepn it 100.”