Taraji P. Henson Quotes

Powerful Taraji P. Henson for Daily Growth

About Taraji P. Henson

Taraji Penda Henson, born on September 11, 1970, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is a renowned American actress and philanthropist, best known for her versatile roles on both stage and screen. Raised by a single mother, Henson developed an early interest in acting that led her to Howard University's drama department, where she earned a BFA in drama. Her breakthrough role came in 1997 as Yvette in 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button', a stage production that later became a critically acclaimed film in 2008, starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. In the film adaptation, Henson played Queenie, a role that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Other notable roles include Shari in 'Baby Boy' (2001), Katrina Watson in 'Hustle & Flow' (2005), which won Henson the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson in 'Hidden Figures' (2016). For her portrayal of Cookie Lyon in the television series 'Empire', she won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards. Henson's work off-screen is equally noteworthy. She founded the Pharrell Williams-backed STEM program, 'The Taraji P. Henson PhD Scholarship' at Howard University, aimed at increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in the field of science and technology. Henson continues to captivate audiences with her powerful performances and dedication to empowering others, serving as a shining example of resilience, talent, and philanthropy.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The best passion I can have is the passion for my craft; that's just who I am."

Taraji P. Henson, in this quote, emphasizes her deepest commitment and devotion to her profession - acting, often referred to as "her craft." She identifies herself through this pursuit, suggesting a profound connection and love for it. This passion is not a fleeting or convenient feeling; rather, it is an essential aspect of who she is as a person. Her quote underscores the importance of finding and nurturing one's calling in life - in her case, acting - and living it unapologetically.

"I think the biggest thing for me is knowing your worth and not settling for less than you deserve."

This quote highlights the importance of self-awareness and personal value, emphasizing that individuals should recognize their inherent worth and refuse to accept treatment or opportunities that do not meet their true potential. It encourages a mindset of empowerment, self-respect, and assertiveness, encouraging people to demand fairness, respect, and growth in all aspects of life.

"Always remember to take care of yourself, because without you, there is no 'they.'"

This quote emphasizes the importance of self-care for personal well-being. Taraji P. Henson suggests that it's crucial to prioritize one's own health and happiness, as neglecting oneself can lead to an inability to care for others effectively. Essentially, the 'they' refers to friends, family, or any other people who depend on us – underscoring that our ability to help others starts with taking care of ourselves first.

"When life knocks you down, try to land on your feet. That way, when you stand back up, you can see the stars in the sky again."

Taraji P. Henson's quote encourages resilience and optimism in the face of adversity. When life challenges us, instead of succumbing to defeat, we should aim to bounce back with grace and strength. By focusing on maintaining a positive outlook during difficult times, we can regain our perspective and rediscover the wonders that life has to offer. The "stars in the sky" represent hope, inspiration, and goals yet to be achieved, reminding us of the beauty and potential that lies ahead even after experiencing hardship.

"I'm not a victim; I'm a survivor. Will I have scars? Of course. And I wear those scars with pride. I've survived, and that's worth celebrating."

This quote highlights the strength and resilience of Taraji P. Henson as she embraces her past hardships instead of dwelling on them as a "victim". Instead, she identifies herself as a "survivor", someone who has overcome adversity and grown stronger from it. The scars she refers to symbolize the lasting effects of her struggles, but she wears them with pride, using them to remind herself of her survival and the worthiness of celebrating that achievement. It's an inspiring message about facing challenges, growing from them, and finding empowerment in one's story.

It's up to you to be responsible for how you feel if you're not happy. Your happiness lies in your hands. You can't rely on a man to make you happy or complete you. That starts with you.

- Taraji P. Henson

Happy, Hands, Feel, Rely

I'm always interested in challenging myself and pushing and seeing how far I can go.

- Taraji P. Henson

Myself, Always, How Far, Pushing

Humans have a light side and a dark side, and it's up to us to choose which way we're going to live our lives. Even if you start out on the dark side, it doesn't mean you have to continue your journey that way. You always have time to turn it around.

- Taraji P. Henson

Choose, Turn, Your, Humans

I like to be home with my son, kickin' it and watching ESPN, a very normal life. I like to take him to school every day, watch his games.

- Taraji P. Henson

Normal, Very, ESPN, Normal Life

I don't ever want to feel complacent.

- Taraji P. Henson

Want, Feel, Ever, Complacent

With TV, the pace is so fast, the scripts are coming at you, the directors are firing things at you, it's breathtaking.

- Taraji P. Henson

Pace, TV, Directors, Breathtaking

Love is the greatest gift that God has given us. It's free.

- Taraji P. Henson

Love, Gift, Given, Love Is

I'm not a selfish actor. I believe that it's a team effort. You're not in a scene by yourself.

- Taraji P. Henson

Team, Effort, I Believe That, Team Effort

I would love to play a superhero. I wish I could be in 'The Avengers,' kicking butt.

- Taraji P. Henson

Love, Wish, Play, Avengers

If I were to meet the most incredible man, and he just so happened to not make as much money as I do, I wouldn't hold it against him.

- Taraji P. Henson

Him, Incredible, Against, As Much Money

Something happens to a woman when she can't reproduce. I've not had to walk that path, but I can only imagine when your organs don't work and how that could make you feel.

- Taraji P. Henson

Woman, Imagine, Organs, Reproduce

I'm always the cousin that can't make it to the family functions because I'm busy.

- Taraji P. Henson

Busy, Always, Functions, Cousin

I don't ever want to get boxed in, playing the same characters, over and over again. That's why I prefer features over television.

- Taraji P. Henson

Television, Over, Prefer, Boxed

Acting for me is very therapeutic. It's my shrink.

- Taraji P. Henson

Me, Shrink, Very, Therapeutic

A woman is gentle, soft, delicate, and a man's position is to protect her, help her up stairs, make sure she's in the car safely first. Take good care of your woman, and the sky's the limit!

- Taraji P. Henson

Sky, Woman, Delicate, Protect

I'm a creative person, so I have to stay busy.

- Taraji P. Henson

Busy, Creative, Person, Creative Person

I'm not interested in disposable music.

- Taraji P. Henson

Music, Interested, Not Interested

I would love to do a biopic of a famous singer, like Diana Ross or Donna Summer, or an old jazz story that we haven't seen before. I would love to do that! I would love to play Diana Ross 'cause she's an icon. I'm salivating to do that.

- Taraji P. Henson

Love, Play, Famous, None

Once you're a mom, always a mom. It's like riding a bike, you never forget.

- Taraji P. Henson

Forget, Never, Always, Never Forget

I don't care if you're a man, if you're a player: If God sends you that one and your heart is in it, you'll work it out.

- Taraji P. Henson

Work, Heart, Your, Sends

I don't harp on the negative because if you do, then there's no progression. There's no forward movement. You got to always look on the bright side of things, and we are in control. Like, you have control over the choices you make.

- Taraji P. Henson

Always, Over, Side, Harp

A lot of times characters are combinations of people I come across in life. I people-watch a lot.

- Taraji P. Henson

Lot, Characters, Across, Combinations

I don't think a living being should suffer for the sake of fashion, period. End of story. You don't have to kill an animal just because you want to be hot and fly. And I really stand by that.

- Taraji P. Henson

Think, Living, Period, Sake

I feel like we all have our skeletons.

- Taraji P. Henson

Feel, Like, I Feel, Skeletons

I love the art of acting, so I don't care if I'm in a movie with 10 people, two people, or by myself. I just really enjoy it.

- Taraji P. Henson

Love, Art, Movie, Care

Oftentimes, when you have a huge studio film and you have big names attached, they like to keep attaching big names.

- Taraji P. Henson

Big, Studio, Oftentimes, Attached

Every human walks around with a certain kind of sadness. They may not wear it on their sleeves, but it's there if you look deep.

- Taraji P. Henson

Sad, Deep, May, Sleeves

I prefer doing feature films.

- Taraji P. Henson

Doing, Films, Feature Films, Feature

The best thing about being in New York is the people, and you get to walk everywhere.

- Taraji P. Henson

New York, New, Everywhere, York

I love New York. Love it.

- Taraji P. Henson

Love, New, I Love, York

Most men are fragile.

- Taraji P. Henson

Men, Most, Fragile

Date a woman with children only if you are ready to man up, because it's a position that comes with responsibility.

- Taraji P. Henson

Children, Woman, Date, Ready

When I meet a person and that chemistry is there, I cannot hide the electricity. I need to learn more about him, and once I feel safe, I'm gone, I'm in love, and I give it my all!

- Taraji P. Henson

Love, Chemistry, Give, Gone

When I come home, it's about my kid, who needs to eat, needs to do homework, and needs to get to basketball. I don't have a lot of time to think about me.

- Taraji P. Henson

Think, Kid, Needs, Homework

I just like when I work with people that are professional and good.

- Taraji P. Henson

Work, Like, Just, Professional

Well, for one, I don't judge my characters.

- Taraji P. Henson

Well, Characters, Judge

I like to disappear in my roles because I don't have an assistant.

- Taraji P. Henson

Disappear, Like, Roles, Assistant

I'm really silly. That's the thing that people don't get.

- Taraji P. Henson

People, Get, Thing, Silly

I've been doing a lot of drama, but I feel like comedy is my strength.

- Taraji P. Henson

Strength, Doing, Been, I Feel Like

With TV, you get on a show and you're there for 11 years playing the same character. I would pull my hair out. Yes, the money is good. But I'm really not in this business to chase dollars.

- Taraji P. Henson

Business, Yes, TV, Dollars

I'm always confident when I sign up for a project that it's going to be good. That's why I sign up for it.

- Taraji P. Henson

Confident, Always, Going, Project

Singing is something I can do, but it's not my first passion.

- Taraji P. Henson

Passion, Something, First, Singing

At the end of the day, I stand by who I am. I'm a good person.

- Taraji P. Henson

I Am, Good Person, Person, End

I'm a character actor.

- Taraji P. Henson

Character, Actor, Character Actor

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