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)
Hidden Figures
(2016)
Katherine G. Johnson
What Men Want
(2019)
Alison "Ali" Davis
Minions: The Rise of Gru
(2022)
Belle Bottom (voice)
Ralph Breaks the Internet
(2018)
Yesss (voice)
The Karate Kid
(2010)
Sherry Parker
The Color Purple
(2023)
Shug Avery
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(2008)
Queenie
Smokin' Aces
(2006)
Sharice Watters
No Good Deed
(2014)
Terri
Four Brothers
(2005)
Camille Mercer
Proud Mary
(2018)
Mary
Something New
(2006)
Nedra
Madly Madagascar
(2013)
Okapi (voice)
Acrimony
(2018)
Melinda Moore Gayle
Date Night
(2010)
Detective Arroyo
Full Filmography
Acting
Streetwise
(1998)
The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle
(2000)
Left-Wing Student
Satan's School for Girls
(2000)
Paige
Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man
(2001)
Bess Pinckney
Baby Boy
(2001)
Yvette
Hair Show
(2004)
Tiffany
Hustle & Flow
(2005)
Shug
Animal
(2005)
Ramona
Four Brothers
(2005)
Camille Mercer
Smokin' Aces
(2006)
Sharice Watters
Something New
(2006)
Nedra
Talk to Me
(2007)
Vernell Watson
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(2008)
Queenie
Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys
(2008)
Pam
I Can Do Bad All By Myself
(2009)
April
Hurricane Season
(2009)
Dayna Collins
Not Easily Broken
(2009)
Clarice Clark
The Curious Birth of Benjamin Button
(2009)
Self
Once Fallen
(2010)
Pearl
The Karate Kid
(2010)
Sherry Parker
Date Night
(2010)
Detective Arroyo
Peep World
(2010)
Mary
Forehead Tittaes
(2010)
Herself
Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story
(2011)
Tiffany Rubin
Larry Crowne
(2011)
B'Ella
The Good Doctor
(2011)
Nurse Theresa
Think Like a Man
(2012)
Lauren Harris
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
(2012)
Self
From the Rough
(2013)
Catana Starks
Picasso Baby
(2013)
Herself
Madly Madagascar
(2013)
Okapi (voice)
Think Like a Man Too
(2014)
Lauren Harris
No Good Deed
(2014)
Terri
Seasons of Love
(2014)
Jackie
Top Five
(2014)
Self
Hidden Figures
(2016)
Katherine G. Johnson
Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade
(2016)
Ethel (voice)
Term Life
(2016)
Samantha Thurman
Taraji's White Hot Holiday Special
(2017)
Herself - Host / Mrs. Claus / Mary / Prancer
Acrimony
(2018)
Melinda Moore Gayle
Ralph Breaks the Internet
(2018)
Yesss (voice)
Proud Mary
(2018)
Mary
This Changes Everything
(2019)
Self
The Best of Enemies
(2019)
Ann Atwater
What Men Want
(2019)
Alison "Ali" Davis
Feeding America Comedy Festival
(2020)
Self
Coffee & Kareem
(2020)
Vanessa Manning
Annie Live!
(2021)
Miss Hannigan
Mary J. Blige's My Life
(2021)
Self
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
TIME100: The World's Most Influential People
(2024)
Host
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