Taraji P Henson fired her whole management as they 'had nothing set up' to capitalize on 'Empire's success

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Taraji P Henson has said that dismissing her management firm because they were unable to get her sufficient follow-up projects after popular series 'Empire' was the smartest business move she ever made.

Henson played Cookie Lyon -- the spouse of Terrence Howard's character, Lucious Lyon, a former drug dealer turned hip-hop magnate -- in all six seasons of the Fox drama.

In a recent interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, the 53-year-old actress disclosed that she let go of her whole crew since they were unable to leverage her success from 'Empire' after the show concluded in 2020.

Speaking with Variety's Angelique Jackson on December 5, the Washington, DC native, who suffered a gap in her career, said, "Everybody had to f***ing go," after her six-season tenure as Cookie Lyon on 'Empire.'

Taraji P Henson claimed her team 'had nothing set up'

When asked what her best financial decision as an actress had been, Henson criticized her former team for failing to capitalize on the popularity of the 'Empire' character.

Playing the role alongside Terrence Howard on the show, the Oscar-nominated actress earned two Emmy nods along with a Golden Globe, per Daily Mail.

Henson has worked on a few projects since 'Empire' wrapped up in 2020, when the coronavirus epidemic forced the entertainment industry to halt operations for an extended period of time.

These include vocal parts in the 2022 film 'Minions: The Rise of Gru' and the 2023 film 'PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie', in addition to an appearance in the 'Jealousy' music video by Offset and Cardi B.

Henson claimed to have asked her team: "Where is my deal? Where's my commercial? Cookie was at the top of the fashion game. Where is my endorsement? What did you have set up for after this?"

The 'Color Purple' actress, who recently shared her opinions on being underpaid, revealed that her team "had nothing set up" following 'Empire's triumph, adding, "That's why you all haven't seen me in so long. They had nothing set up."

The Oscar-nominated actress said that she was willing to collaborate with the team after hearing that having "another Cookie show" would be in her best interests.

Henson recounted, "All they wanted was another Cookie show, and I said, 'I'll do it, but it has to be right - the people deserve …she's too beloved for y'all to f*** it up'."

"And so, when they didn't get it right, I was like, 'Well, that's it,' and they had nothing else ... 'You're all f***in' fired'," she added.

Following the conclusion of 'Empire,' it was revealed that Henson, along with co-creators Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, was creating a spinoff centered around Cookie. Fox eventually chose to halt the project's development.

Henson, who has also starred in 'Hidden Figures' and 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' stated that it took her "years to get" to the point where she thought it was imperative to end the protracted commercial partnerships.

Taraji P Henson adopted Dwayne Johnson's motto to fire her team

Henson is a self-made celebrity who undoubtedly pours her heart and soul into every role she performs. It is simultaneously important to understand that actor-turned-wrestler Dwayne Johnson acknowledged that his career was spared by sacking his agents.

The concept is not new to Hollywood; Johnson fired his agency in the past due to his frustration with the roles he was receiving - a difficult decision, to be sure.

Taraji Henson spoke about the wage disparity

In the same SAG-AFTRA Foundation interview, Henson spoke about the wage disparity she and her African American coworkers must contend with in Hollywood.

She said, "I put in the work in so that I could have a voice, so that I could say no [to unfair offers], so that I could fight for those coming in behind me."

She expressed the same feelings to Gayle King on SiriusXM when she broke down in tears at how unfairly black women are treated in the entertainment business.

She remarked, "I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do [and] getting paid a fraction of the cost."

"I’m tired of hearing my sisters saying the same thing over and over," Henson added.

She also brought up the fact that actors only receive a small percentage of their pay because their team also takes a cut.

Henson told Variety in 2019 that she first received a $100,000 salary for 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' but eventually got a $150,000 salary, per Page Six.

However, that was still significantly less than her initial demand of $500,000.