Portrait of Taraji P. Henson

Taraji P. Henson

Acting

Biography

Taraji P. Henson (born September 11, 1970) is an American actress, producer and singer. She studied acting at Howard University and began her Hollywood career as guest star on several television shows before making her breakthrough in the movie Baby Boy (2001). In 2005, she starred in Hustle & Flow and played Queenie in David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), for which she received an Academy Award nomination. In 2016, Time named Henson one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list. Henson also released an autobiography titled Around The Way Girl.

Born: September 11, 1970

Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., USA

Filmography

2025
STRAW

as Janiyah Wiltkinson

2025
2024
2023
The Color Purple

as Shug Avery

2023
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie

as Victoria Vance (voice)

2022
Sherri

as Self - Guest

2022
Minions: The Rise of Gru

as Belle Bottom (voice)

2021
2021
Annie Live!

as Miss Hannigan

2021
That's My Jam

as Self - Guest

2021
2021
2020
Legendary

as Self - Guest Judge

2020
History 101

as Self (archive footage)

2020
2020
Coffee & Kareem

as Vanessa Manning

2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show

as Self - Guest Host

2019
The Best of Enemies

as Ann Atwater

2019
What Men Want

as Alison 'Ali' Davis

2018
2018
Acrimony

as Melinda Moore Gayle

2018
2018
Proud Mary

as Mary

2017
Taraji's White Hot Holiday Special

as Self - Host / Mrs. Claus / Mary / Prancer

2016
Hidden Figures

as Katherine G. Johnson

2016
Term Life

as Samantha Thurman

2016
2015
2015
Celebrity Family Feud

as Self - Contestant

2015
2015
Hot Ones

as Self

2015
Empire

as Cookie Lyon

2014
Top Five

as Self

2014
2014
No Good Deed

as Terry

2014
Think Like a Man Too

as Lauren Harris

2013
From the Rough

as Catana Starks

2013
Madly Madagascar

as Okapi (voice)

2012
Think Like a Man

as Lauren Harris

2011
Person of Interest

as Joss Carter

2011
Larry Crowne

as B'Ella

2011
The Good Doctor

as Nurse Theresa

2010
Conan

as Herself

2010
Once Fallen

as Pearl

2010
Peep World

as Mary

2010
The Karate Kid

as Sherry Parker

2010
Date Night

as Detective Arroyo

2010
Hurricane Season

as Dayna Collins

2010
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race

as Self - Guest Judge

2009
Not Easily Broken

as Clarice Clark

2008
Eli Stone

as Angela Scott

2007
Talk to Me

as Vernell Watson

2006
Smokin' Aces

as Sharice Watters

2006
2005
Four Brothers

as Camille Mercer

2005
2005
Animal

as Ramona

2004
Project Runway

as Self - Guest Judge

2004
House

as Moira

2004
Hair Show

as Tiffany

2004
Boston Legal

as Whitney Rome

2002
Half & Half

as Gabrielle

2002
Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs

as Date #4 / Ghetto Girl (as Taraji Henson)

2001
Baby Boy

as Yvette

2001
BET Awards

as Self - Host

2001
The Division

as Raina Washington

2000
Strong Medicine

as Crystal

2000
1998
Felicity

as R.A. #2

1998
Felicity

as Art Student

1998
Streetwise

as Tammy

1997
The View

as Self

1997
Smart Guy

as Monique

1997
Smart Guy

as Leslie

1996
1996
Pacific Blue

as Rhonda

1994
ER

as Patrice Robbins

1994
ER

as Elan

1994
1989
The Simpsons

as Praline (voice)

1975
Saturday Night Live

as Self - Host

1974
American Music Awards

as Self - Host

1956
Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter