It was winning night at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards for Taraji P. Henson, who used the spotlight to continue her fight for pay equality in Hollywood. Although she had the support of the crowd, this was a vulnerable moment for her. Henson said it was "terrible" to talk about her experience as a black actress.
Call for equal pay for equal work
When host Queen Latifah opened the show, she addressed the pay gap with help from Hanson. "You know what it is to not feel inflation?" Queen Latifah said during her monologue, prompting Hansen to reply: "Black actresses get equal pay for equal work." Queen Latifah then thanked her "for all of us Stand up” and put her in solidarity with all the black actresses in the room. Soon, she had others on their feet as well, urging them to, "Stand up for all of us black actresses who represent us."
The moment was a touching precursor to what would come later that night, when Henson received the NAACP Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for "The Color Purple." Henson mentioned the backlash she faced in the past when she called for equal pay for actresses in Hollywood, especially women of color, and she thanked everyone for their support.
"I just want to say thank you so much for always being there for me," she said. "Not just for the box office or watching me play, but you all saw what happened, you all showed up, you showed, you showed me love."
tell her truth
Further responding to her past comments about pay inequality, Hansen added, "Telling the truth is a terrible thing." However, she encouraged others to continue to do so. "I urge everyone to tell the truth because at the end of the day, that's all we have," she said. "As they say, 'The truth will set you free,' and more than that, it will set others free."
Hansen was likely alluding to her December interview with Gayle King on Sirius XM, in which she got emotional and described the cost of being paid less than her peers. "I was just tired of working so hard and being gracious about what I was doing for a fraction of the cost," she said. "I'm tired of hearing my sisters say the same things over and over again. You're going to get tired."
She further explained that actors have to have a huge team to do their job, so she also has to put in a lot of effort to pay them. "I hear people say, 'You work a lot,'" she said. "I have to. Math is not math."
seek support
While there were those who wanted to criticize Hanson after her comments and tried to pin the blame on The Color Purple executive producer Oprah Winfrey, there were many who stood by her side. Actors including Gabrielle Union and Keke Palmer took to social media to defend her, with Union noting in part, "We have no hesitation in making the decision that we all A change that needs to be seen, it will take a toll on your mind, health, soul, and career.”
Watch Hanson's full NAACP Image Award acceptance speech below.
The Color Purple is now streaming on Max.
