Taraji P. Henson
Acting Born Sep 11, 1970 Washington, D.C., USA 149 credits
Biography
Taraji P. Henson, born September 11, 1970, in Washington, D.C., is an American actress, producer and singer. She studied acting at Howard University before beginning her Hollywood career with guest appearances on several television series. Henson’s breakout film role came in Baby Boy (2001). She later starred in Hustle & Flow (2005) and portrayed Queenie in David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), earning an Academy Award nomination for the latter. In 2016 Time magazine included her on its annual Time 100 list of the world’s most influential people. Henson is also the author of the autobiography Around The Way Girl. Her professional credits number 135 according to TMDB.
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Career overview
Taraji P. Henson was born on September 11, 1970, in Washington, D.C., USA. She pursued formal training in acting at Howard University before entering the entertainment industry. Henson began her Hollywood career appearing as a guest star on a variety of television programs, building a foundation that led to her first major film role. Her breakthrough came with the 2001 movie Baby Boy, which established her as a notable presence in cinema.
Following that initial success, Henson continued to expand her filmography with a starring role in Hustle & Flow (2005). She further solidified her reputation by portraying the character Queenie in David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), a performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination. Over the course of her career, she has accumulated more than one hundred thirty‑five acting credits, reflecting a sustained and diverse body of work.
Beyond her on‑screen achievements, Henson’s influence was recognized in 2016 when Time magazine included her on its annual Time 100 list of the world’s most influential people. She has also authored an autobiography titled Around The Way Girl. Known professionally also as Taraji Penda Henson and Taraji Henson, she remains a prominent figure in American acting, production, and music.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Star Search · Executive ProducerWhy Did I Get Married Again?
Number One on the Call SheetSTRAWEscape RoomMy Happy Place
Fight Night: The Million Dollar HeistHollywood BlackWhere's Usher?TIME100: The World's Most Influential People
PAW Patrol: The Mighty MovieThe Color PurpleCelebrity Prank WarsOprah & The Color Purple JourneyGoing to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
The Jennifer Hudson ShowSherriMinions: The Rise of GruTell It Like a Woman · DirectorSavage X Fenty Show Vol. 4
Abbott ElementaryThat's My JamHart to HeartMuppets Haunted MansionMary J. Blige's My Life
History 101Celebrity IOULegendaryCoffee & KareemFeeding America Comedy Festival
The Kelly Clarkson ShowThe Kelly Clarkson ShowThe Masked SingerA Little Late with Lilly SinghToday with Jenna & Sheinelle
Ralph Breaks the InternetAcrimonyThe Alec Baldwin ShowProud MaryProud Mary · Executive Producer
Carpool Karaoke: The SeriesTaraji's White Hot Holiday SpecialTaraji's White Hot Holiday Special · Executive Producer
Hidden FiguresIce Age: The Great Egg-ScapadeTerm Life
The Late Show with Stephen ColbertThe Late Late Show with James CordenThe Late Late Show with James CordenHot OnesEmpire
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonLate Night with Seth MeyersVariety Studio: Actors on ActorsNo Good Deed
Hollywood Game NightMadly MadagascarPicasso BabyFrom the Rough
Think Like a ManWhitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
Person of InterestLarry CrowneThe Good DoctorTaken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story
ConanThe TalkRuPaul's Drag Race: UntuckedThe Karate KidDate Night
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenRuPaul's Drag RaceThe Cleveland ShowNot Easily BrokenI Can Do Bad All By Myself
The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonEli StoneTyler Perry's The Family That Preys
Talk to Me
Smokin' AcesSomething New
Four BrothersHustle & FlowAnimal
HouseBoston LegalProject RunwayHair Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Jimmy Kimmel Live!The Ellen DeGeneres ShowAll of Us
Half & HalfBook of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs
The DivisionBET AwardsBaby BoyMurder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationStrong MedicineThe Adventures of Rocky & BullwinkleSatan's School for Girls
FelicityFelicityStreetwise
The ViewSmart GuySmart Guy
The Daily ShowPacific Blue
Full filmography
- Star Search (2026) Executive Producer
- Why Did I Get Married Again? (2026)
- Number One on the Call Sheet (2025) as Self
- STRAW (2025) as Janiyah Wiltkinson
- Escape Room (2025)
- My Happy Place (2025) as Self
- Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (2024) as Vivian Thoma
- Hollywood Black (2024) as Self (archive footage)
- Where's Usher? (2024) as Self
- TIME100: The World's Most Influential People (2024) as Host
- PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie (2023) as Victoria Vance (voice)
- The Color Purple (2023) as Shug Avery
- Celebrity Prank Wars (2023) as Self
- Oprah & The Color Purple Journey (2023) as Self
- Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (2023) as Self (voice)
- Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (2023) Executive Producer
- The Wine Down with Mary J. Blige (2023) as Self
- The Jennifer Hudson Show (2022) as Self
- Sherri (2022) as Self - Guest
- Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) as Belle Bottom (voice)
- Tell It Like a Woman (2022) Director
- Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 (2022) as Self
- Abbott Elementary (2021) as Vanetta
- That's My Jam (2021) as Self - Guest
- Hart to Heart (2021) as Self
- Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021) as The Bride
- Mary J. Blige's My Life (2021) as Self
- Annie Live! (2021) as Miss Hannigan
- History 101 (2020) as Self (archive footage)
- Celebrity IOU (2020) as Self
- Legendary (2020) as Self - Guest Judge
- Coffee & Kareem (2020) as Vanessa Manning
- Feeding America Comedy Festival (2020) as Self
- The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self
- The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self - Guest Host
- The Masked Singer (2019) as Self - Panelist
- A Little Late with Lilly Singh (2019) as Self
- Today with Jenna & Sheinelle (2019) as Self
- The Best of Enemies (2019) as Ann Atwater
- What Men Want (2019) as Alison 'Ali' Davis
- What Men Want (2019) Executive Producer
- This Changes Everything (2019) as Self
- Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) as Yesss (voice)
- Acrimony (2018) as Melinda Moore Gayle
- The Alec Baldwin Show (2018) as Self
- Proud Mary (2018) as Mary
- Proud Mary (2018) Executive Producer
- Carpool Karaoke: The Series (2017) as Self
- Taraji's White Hot Holiday Special (2017) as Self - Host / Mrs. Claus / Mary / Prancer
- Taraji's White Hot Holiday Special (2017) Executive Producer
- Hidden Figures (2016) as Katherine G. Johnson
- Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade (2016) as Ethel (voice)
- Term Life (2016) as Samantha Thurman
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self - Guest
- The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015) as Self
- The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015) as Self - Guest
- Hot Ones (2015) as Self
- Empire (2015) as Cookie Lyon
- Empire (2015) Director
- Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter (2015) as Self
- Celebrity Family Feud (2015) as Self - Contestant
- Lip Sync Battle (2015) as Self
- Taraji's White Hot Holidays (2015) as Herself - Host
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self - Guest
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self - Guest
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (2014) as Self
- No Good Deed (2014) as Terry
- No Good Deed (2014) Executive Producer
- Think Like a Man Too (2014) as Lauren Harris
- Top Five (2014) as Taraji P. Henson
- Seasons of Love (2014) as Jackie
- Seasons of Love (2014) Executive Producer
- Hollywood Game Night (2013) as Self
- Madly Madagascar (2013) as Okapi (voice)
- Picasso Baby (2013) as Self
- From the Rough (2013) as Catana Starks
- Think Like a Man (2012) as Lauren Harris
- Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You (2012) as Self
- Person of Interest (2011) as Joss Carter
- Larry Crowne (2011) as B'Ella
- The Good Doctor (2011) as Nurse Theresa
- Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story (2011) as Tiffany Rubin
- Conan (2010) as Herself
- The Talk (2010) as Self
- RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (2010) as Self - Guest
- The Karate Kid (2010) as Sherry Parker
- Date Night (2010) as Detective Arroyo
- Hurricane Season (2010) as Dayna Collins
- Once Fallen (2010) as Pearl
- Peep World (2010) as Mary
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (2009) as Self - Guest
- RuPaul's Drag Race (2009) as Self - Guest Judge
- The Cleveland Show (2009)
- Not Easily Broken (2009) as Clarice Clark
- I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2009) as April
- The Curious Birth of Benjamin Button (2009) as Self
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) as Queenie
- Eli Stone (2008) as Angela Scott
- Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (2008) as Pam
- Talk to Me (2007) as Vernell Watson
- Smokin' Aces (2006) as Sharice Watters
- Something New (2006) as Nedra
- Four Brothers (2005) as Camille Mercer
- Hustle & Flow (2005) as Shug
- Animal (2005) as Ramona
- House (2004) as Moira
- Boston Legal (2004) as Whitney Rome
- Project Runway (2004) as Self - Guest Judge
- Hair Show (2004) as Tiffany
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- All of Us (2003)
- Half & Half (2002) as Gabrielle
- Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs (2002) as Date #4 / Ghetto Girl (as Taraji Henson)
- The Division (2001) as Raina Washington
- BET Awards (2001) as Self - Host
- Baby Boy (2001) as Yvette
- Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man (2001) as Bess Pinckney
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) as Christina
- Strong Medicine (2000) as Crystal
- The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000) as Left-Wing Student
- Satan's School for Girls (2000) as Paige
- Felicity (1998) as R.A. #2
- Felicity (1998) as Art Student
- Streetwise (1998) as Tammy
- The View (1997) as Self
- Smart Guy (1997) as Monique
- Smart Guy (1997) as Leslie
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self
- Pacific Blue (1996) as Rhonda
- The Parent 'Hood (1995)
- ER (1994) as Patrice Robbins
- ER (1994) as Elan
- Sister, Sister (1994) as Briana
- Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993) as Girl
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
- The Simpsons (1989) as Praline (voice)
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self
- Entertainment Tonight (1981) as Self
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- American Music Awards (1974) as Self - Host
- Darlene Love: I Know Where I've Been Producer
- Darlene Love: I Know Where I've Been Executive Producer
- Two Faced Director
- Force
- Sorcerority
- 'Tis So Sweet