Taraji J. Henson Delivers Stirring Commencement Address At Howard University And Receives Honorary Doctorate
09.05.2022 - 15:01
/ etcanada.com
“Empire” star Taraji P. Henson attended the graduation ceremony at her alma mater Howard University in Washington, D.C., Saturday and delivered a stirring commencement address.
Before delivering the speech, Henson was awarded with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters for her accomplishments in the entertainment industry.
“I would like to take this moment to reintroduce myself: My name is Taraji P. Henson, Howard University class of 1995,” she said, taking the podium.
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In her address, Henson got candid about her experiences and struggles in Hollywood as a single mother, including being paid only $100,000 for her role in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, despite the $167-million price tag on the film.
Regardless, Henson said she gave everything she had to prepare herself for the audition process, using her experience at Howard’s Ira Aldridge Theater to guide her.
“I had been too well-schooled in auditioning for roles at the Ira Aldridge to not show up or try to phone it in or to not be prepared. You know I did my homework,” she said.
“At the end of the day, I saw $30,000,” she said of the “Benjamin Button” role, after taxes and other expenses. “I was angry. I was disgusted, and I was hurt. But instead of stewing in that negative space, instead of becoming cynical, I decided that I would allow hope — not hurt — shape my work.”
She also got candid about crafting the Oscar-nominated performance for the role of Queenie in the movie.
“[Queenie] was three-dimensional. She was emotional. She was no-nonsense. She had a big heart. She loved big even though she was living in the Jim Crow South, barely 50 years after the