Taraji P. Henson
Born: 1970-09-11 in Washington, D.C., USA
Known For: 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.
Filmography
2025
- STRAW as Janiyah Wiltkinson
- Escape Room
- Number One on the Call Sheet as Self
- My Happy Place as Self
2024
- Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist as Vivian Thoma
- Where’s Usher? as Self
- TIME100: The World's Most Influential People as Host
2023
- PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie as Victoria Vance (voice)
- The Color Purple as Shug Avery
- Celebrity Prank Wars as Self
- Oprah & The Color Purple Journey as Self
- The Wine Down with Mary J. Blige as Self
- Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project as Self (voice)
2022
- The Jennifer Hudson Show as Self
- Sherri as Self - Guest
- Minions: The Rise of Gru as Belle Bottom (voice)
- Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 as Self
- Tell It Like a Woman ... (Director)
2021
- Abbott Elementary as Vanetta
- Annie Live! as Miss Hannigan
- Muppets Haunted Mansion as The Bride
- Mary J. Blige's My Life as Self
- Hart to Heart as Self
- That's My Jam as Self - Guest
2020
- Coffee & Kareem as Vanessa Manning
- Legendary as Self - Guest Judge
- Feeding America Comedy Festival as Self
- History 101 as Self (archive footage)
- Celebrity IOU as Self
2019
- The Kelly Clarkson Show as Self
- What Men Want as Alison 'Ali' Davis
- A Little Late with Lilly Singh as Self
- Today with Hoda & Jenna as Self
- The Best of Enemies as Ann Atwater
- This Changes Everything as Self
2018
- Ralph Breaks the Internet as Yesss (voice)
- Acrimony as Melinda Moore Gayle
- Lie Detector as Self
- Proud Mary as Mary
- The Alec Baldwin Show as Self
2017
- Carpool Karaoke: The Series as Self
- Taraji's White Hot Holiday Special as Self - Host / Mrs. Claus / Mary / Prancer
2016
- Hidden Figures as Katherine G. Johnson
- Term Life as Samantha Thurman
- Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade as Ethel (voice)
2015
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- The Late Late Show with James Corden as Self
- Hot Ones as Self
- Empire as Cookie Lyon
- Lip Sync Battle as Self
- Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter as Self
- Celebrity Family Feud as Self - Contestant
- Taraji's White Hot Holidays as Herself - Host
2014
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- Top Five as Self
- Think Like a Man Too as Lauren Harris
- No Good Deed as Terry
- Seasons of Love as Jackie
2013
- Madly Madagascar as Okapi (voice)
- Hollywood Game Night as Self
- From the Rough as Catana Starks
- Picasso Baby as Self
2012
- Think Like a Man as Lauren Harris
- Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You as Self
2011
- Person of Interest as Joss Carter
- Larry Crowne as B'Ella
- The Good Doctor as Nurse Theresa
- Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story as Tiffany Rubin
2010
- Conan as Herself
- The Karate Kid as Sherry Parker
- RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked as Self - Guest
- Peep World as Mary
- Hurricane Season as Dayna Collins
- Once Fallen as Pearl
- Date Night as Detective Arroyo
2009
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Guest Judge
- The Cleveland Show
- Not Easily Broken as Clarice Clark
- The Curious Birth of Benjamin Button as Self
- I Can Do Bad All By Myself as April
2008
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button as Queenie
- Eli Stone as Angela Scott
- Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys as Pam
2007
- Talk to Me as Vernell Watson
2006
- Smokin' Aces as Sharice Watters
- Something New as Nedra
2005
- Four Brothers as Camille Mercer
- Hustle & Flow as Shug
- Animal as Ramona
2004
- House as Moira
- Boston Legal as Whitney Rome
- Project Runway as Self - Guest Judge
- Hair Show as Tiffany
2003
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
- All of Us
2002
- Half & Half as Gabrielle
- Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs as Date #4 / Ghetto Girl (as Taraji Henson)
2001
- The Division as Raina Washington
- Baby Boy as Yvette
- Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man as Bess Pinckney
- BET Awards as Self - Host
2000
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as Christina
- Strong Medicine as Crystal
- The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle as Left-Wing Student
- Satan's School for Girls as Paige
1998
- Felicity as R.A. #2
- Streetwise as Tammy
1996
- The Daily Show as Self
- Pacific Blue as Rhonda
1995
1994
- ER as Patrice Robbins
- Sister, Sister as Briana
1993
- Saved by the Bell: The New Class as Girl
1989
- The Simpsons as Praline (voice)
1988
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self
1981
- Entertainment Tonight as Self
1975
- Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
1974
- American Music Awards as Self - Host
1956
- Tony Awards as Self - Presenter