Taraji P. Henson is braless in the latest issue of W Magazine, and she has opened up about missing out on a role in Precious and her dream of becoming an electrical engineer. Henson also confessed that she was not certain about playing Cookie in Empire because there was too much hip-hop, and she had issues playing a woman who hits her children.
A braless Taraji P. Henson graces the August issue of W Magazine. The magazine features the former “Person of Interest” actress in a series of black and white pictures captured by fashion photographers – Mert Alan and Marcus Piggott – wearing a simple white top, distressed jeans with her wet hair slicked back.
The Hollywood veteran, who is 44, also showed off her flawless and bronzed legs in a black sweater dress and glittery gown. However, the picture that captivated her fans, is the single color shot where she is sporting a red blouse, and goes braless with her hands crossed on her head in order to reveal a maximum of cleavage.
Taraji P. Henson, star of FOX’s mega-hit Empire, has become a fashion icon with her wild out character, Cookie Lyon. Henson did not talk much about makeup or clothes. Instead, she shared her bio.
The mother of one made the surprising confession that she was planning to become an electrical engineer after she failed to get into acting school. Henson shared:
“I auditioned for Duke Ellington High School of the Performing Arts and I didn’t get accepted.
I actually went away to N.Carolona A & T to become an electrical engineer because it sounded like it made money. But I failed pre-cal (laughs)!”
She added:
“That’s what prepares you for all the math you have to take. And I failed it. Preeeee- cal. Not calculus! Pre! And I called my dad and he was like- ‘You needed to fall on your face! Now get back up here and enroll in Howard for acting. Get back on your life track!”
Believe it or not, when the co-creator of Empire, Lee Daniels, contacted Taraji P. Henson, she was not sure about playing Cookie because she was too “ghetto,” but changed her mind when she understood there was more to this woman’s story. Now, Henson is answering critics, who say that the character is a black stereotype:
“When I hear that Cookie is a bad representation of black women, I don’t get involved. Maybe Cookie makes you uncomfortable because she reminds you of yourself. People miss the bigger picture when they start judging.”
She said:
“Not only would I never be offered a character like Cookie in a movie, but she doesn’t exist. Cookie is bold and crazy, and she loves the struggle. She is the American dream. She started from nothing, and now she’s at the top. In that way, we’re alike: Cookie is the American Dream. I’m the American dream. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I had a passion. I had a dream. And I dived in and I went for my dream and here I am.”
Inspired by Charlize Theron, Taraji P. Henson wanted the lead role in Precious, but Daniels told her no, she also revealed that she did not cry when she failed to win an Oscar for her performance in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Later on this year, Taraji P. Henson will be teaming up again with Empire creator Danny Strong for the lead role in The Best Of Enemies, a story about race, racism, violence and redemption in North Carolina in the 1960s.
Taraji is such a cutie. She can grace any magazine.
Taraji is such a cutie. She can grace any magazine and has become one of my favorite actors.
She’s so beautiful!!! Now up down, up down, shake it fast!!!