Taraji P. Henson was not expecting the amount of support, feedback and attention she has received since passionately speaking out about her experiences with pay disparity throughout her career.
The Color Purple actress walked the red carpet at this years’ Palm Springs International Film Festival’s Film Awards at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Thursday, and she spoke with ET’s Denny Directo about her message, and why she wasn’t expecting it to hit so hard with so many people.
“[It’s] because I’ve been saying it for years,” Henson shared. “If you go and do research and look at any women of color in the industry, they said the same thing.”
“I don’t know why people decided to hear the words [this time], maybe it was the emotion attached to it,” she added. “But like I said in the interview, I’m just tired of us having that same conversation. Something’s gotta give.”
Henson’s emotional comments about pay disparity in the entertainment industry arose during a recent conversation with Gayle King for SiriusXM radio last month, while promoting The Color Purple.
Henson was joined by Color Purple co-star Danielle Brooks and director Blitz Bazawule, and things became somber when Henson opened up about her frustrations over the industry’s lack of fair pay, and broke into tears of frustration while suggesting that the longstanding issues are determining factors in whether she decides to give up acting for good in the future.
Henson was tasked on Thursday with presenting Brooks with the PSIFF Film Awards’ Spotlight Award.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
ET spoke with Brooks about the remarks Henson made back in December, and why she wasn’t surprised by Henson’s candor and raw emotion while discussing the disparity.
“She has been talking about it for a while, and it’s good, because that’s her story. She’s sharing her experience,” Brooks said. “We’re different actors, we’re coming with different experiences. But I respect what she’s talking about because it is true.”
“Women do need to get paid what they deserve, especially black women. All women need to get paid what they deserve,” she added, “and I’m one of those women.”
That being said, Brooks explained that, for her, there are some jobs “that are really about the artistic fulfillment and the legacy that we talk about [for years]. And that is what The Color Purple has been for me.”
“I knew that what was gonna come from this, no amount of money could ever pay. It’s priceless,” Brooks shared. “And that is what it’s been for me — a priceless experience.”
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