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.
Known For
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
(2023)
Victoria Vance (voice)
Minions: The Rise of Gru
(2022)
Belle Bottom (voice)
What Men Want
(2019)
Alison "Ali" Davis
Ralph Breaks the Internet
(2018)
Yesss (voice)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(2008)
Queenie
Hidden Figures
(2016)
Katherine G. Johnson
The Color Purple
(2023)
Shug Avery
The Karate Kid
(2010)
Sherry Parker
Smokin' Aces
(2006)
Sharice Watters
No Good Deed
(2014)
Terri
Four Brothers
(2005)
Camille Mercer
Date Night
(2010)
Detective Arroyo
Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade
(2016)
Ethel (voice)
Term Life
(2016)
Samantha Thurman
Proud Mary
(2018)
Mary
Top Five
(2014)
Self
Full Filmography
Acting
Streetwise
(1998)
Satan's School for Girls
(2000)
Paige
The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle
(2000)
Left-Wing Student
Baby Boy
(2001)
Yvette
Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man
(2001)
Bess Pinckney
Hair Show
(2004)
Tiffany
Animal
(2005)
Ramona
Hustle & Flow
(2005)
Shug
Four Brothers
(2005)
Camille Mercer
Something New
(2006)
Nedra
Smokin' Aces
(2006)
Sharice Watters
Talk to Me
(2007)
Vernell Watson
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(2008)
Queenie
Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys
(2008)
Pam
Hurricane Season
(2009)
Dayna Collins
I Can Do Bad All By Myself
(2009)
April
Not Easily Broken
(2009)
Clarice Clark
The Curious Birth of Benjamin Button
(2009)
Self
Date Night
(2010)
Detective Arroyo
Once Fallen
(2010)
Pearl
The Karate Kid
(2010)
Sherry Parker
Peep World
(2010)
Mary
Forehead Tittaes
(2010)
Herself
The Good Doctor
(2011)
Nurse Theresa
Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story
(2011)
Tiffany Rubin
Larry Crowne
(2011)
B'Ella
Think Like a Man
(2012)
Lauren Harris
Whitney Houston - We Will Always Love You
(2012)
self
From the Rough
(2013)
Catana Starks
Madly Madagascar
(2013)
Okapi (voice)
Picasso Baby
(2013)
Herself
Think Like a Man Too
(2014)
Lauren Harris
No Good Deed
(2014)
Terri
Seasons of Love
(2014)
Jackie
Top Five
(2014)
Self
Term Life
(2016)
Samantha Thurman
Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade
(2016)
Ethel (voice)
Hidden Figures
(2016)
Katherine G. Johnson
Taraji's White Hot Holiday Special
(2017)
Herself - Host / Mrs. Claus / Mary / Prancer
Proud Mary
(2018)
Mary
Acrimony
(2018)
Melinda Moore Gayle
Ralph Breaks the Internet
(2018)
Yesss (voice)
The Best of Enemies
(2019)
Ann Atwater
This Changes Everything
(2019)
Self
What Men Want
(2019)
Alison "Ali" Davis
Coffee & Kareem
(2020)
Vanessa Manning
Feeding America Comedy Festival
(2020)
Self
Mary J. Blige's My Life
(2021)
Self
Annie Live!
(2021)
Miss Hannigan
Muppets Haunted Mansion
(2021)
The Bride
Minions: The Rise of Gru
(2022)
Belle Bottom (voice)
Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4
(2022)
Self
The Color Purple
(2023)
Shug Avery
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
(2023)
Victoria Vance (voice)
Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
(2023)
Self (voice)
Oprah & The Color Purple Journey
(2023)
Self
Where’s Usher?
(2024)
Self
Production
No Good Deed
(2014)
Executive Producer
Seasons of Love
(2014)
Executive Producer
Taraji's White Hot Holiday Special
(2017)
Executive Producer
Proud Mary
(2018)
Executive Producer
What Men Want
(2019)
Executive Producer
Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
(2023)
Executive Producer
Directing