Taraji and Oprah join forces to combat pay inequality for Black actors.

Taraji P. Henson and Oprah Winfrey recently addressed speculation of tension between the two with a show of admiration for each other. Henson has been vocal about pay inequality, citing her Oscar-nominated role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, where she was paid $150,000 compared to millions paid to her co-stars. This sparked further speculation when Henson nearly walked away from her current role in The Color Purple musical over low pay. Fans were quick to assume her frustrations were connected to executive producer Winfrey.

Henson soon posted an Instagram message crediting Winfrey for supporting the cast of The Color Purple. She wrote, “Ms. OPRAH has been nothing less than a steady and solid beacon of light to ALL OF THE CAST of The Color Purple!!! She told me personally to reach out to her for ANYTHING I needed, and I did!” Winfrey responded, praising Henson for her performance and welcoming the actress to the “Purple sisterhood.” The two presented a united front amid calls for Winfrey to address the concerns, underscoring Henson’s vow to continue fighting for change.

Henson broke barriers by detailing the hurdles she has faced when it comes to pay negotiations as a Black woman in Hollywood. According to an outlet, she said studios justify lower offers by claiming Black-led projects “don’t translate overseas.” She shared with Gayle King, “You get tired. I hear people go, ‘You work a lot.’ I have to. The math ain’t mathing.” Henson joins Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and other Black actresses speaking out about pay gaps for Black women in the industry compared to their white counterparts. Spencer recalled when Jessica Chastain helped her negotiate equal pay on a project they collaborated on.

Henson and Winfrey’s show of mutual admiration is a reminder of the progress that has been made but also a call to action to continue to work towards pay equality in the entertainment industry. The Color Purple executive producer and Henson presented a united front on this pressing issue, making it clear that they won’t let Hollywood “steal their soul.”

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