Taraji P. Henson fought back tears as she discussed how tired she is working for a paycheck way below people’s assumptions and legendary actress Halle Berry agreed with her take on Tinseltown’s pay gap.
Appearing on Gayle King’s SiriusXM show with her “The Color Purple” co-star Danielle Brooks and their director Blitz Bazawule, Taraji was asked about rumors she’s planning on retiring from acting.
Before she could answer, the 53-year-old took a moment to compose herself, bringing her hand up to her face as she began to answer.
“I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do (and) getting paid a fraction of the cost,” Taraji P. Henson sighed. “I’m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired. I hear people go, ‘You work a lot.’ Well, I have to. The math ain’t math-ing. When you start working a lot, you have a team. Big bills come with what we do. We don’t do this alone. It’s a whole team behind us. They have to get paid.”
Halle Berry took to the comments under the post on Taraji’s IG and agreed with her statements.
“This is straight facts sister T! Thank you for spitting the facts upon facts!” Halle Berry said. Yvette Lee Bowser, the genius behind shows like “Girlfriends,” “Half & Half,” “Living Single,” “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper” and others also agreed.
“I FEEL YOU, T. TRULY. The math is not MATHING for most. The real struggle for creatives of color is still STRUGGLING,” Bowser added. “And still we rise. 🙌🏽 Keep working and advocating. You are loved and needed on this journey.”
Actress Kerry Washington also had some words of support as well. “Love you madly. Thank you for speaking this truth. OUR TRUTH. Your courage is glorious,” Washington said.
Taraji also laid bare how far a $10 million paycheck goes – with the American government pocketing half of it and her team getting 30 percent of her initial salary.
“Every time I do something and break another glass ceiling, when it’s time to renegotiate I’m at the bottom again like I never did what I just did and I’m tired. I’m tired,” she said as she began to well up. “It wears on you. What does that mean? What is that telling me? If I can’t fight for them coming up behind me then what the f### am I doing?”
The screen star, who helms her own haircare line away from acting work, further revealed she is often told Black stories “don’t translate overseas” which leaves her in a vulnerable position as a prominent Black actress.
“I’m tired hearing of that my entire career,” Taraji fumed. “Twenty plus years in the game and I hear the same thing and I see what you do for another production but when it’s time to go to bat for us they don’t have enough money. And I’m just supposed to smile and grin and bear it. Enough is enough! That’s why I have other (brands) because this industry, if you let it, it will steal your soul. I refuse to let that happen.”