Taraji P Henson talks about what made her to say yes to the role of Cookie lyon
Taraji P Henson has starred in Oscar nominated movies like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (for which she also received nomination) and most recently Hidden Figures. She gained lot of love from the audience and critics support for her role of Cookie lyon in the series Empire.
What is the kind of chemistry that you share with Terrence. Do you feel that both of you bring out the special side in each otherIJ
I just knew what these characters needed, the friendship obviously. These two are friends first. And they fall in love when they were really young. When I got the script, I knew that it had to be somebody I could trust on a personal as well as on a professional level. So that’s Terrence. In real life, we’re friends. If you see us, people will always call us Cookie and lucious, but that’s us in life.
We are talking about seven years and that’s a long time to spend with a person. And the complicated places that these characters have to go, I could not see myself doing it without him. It was a no brainer for me. And I think that’s why it’s a big part of the success, because when you talk about the Empire, one think s about — the Mama Bear and the Papa Bear. So in real life, that’s how we are. And it only helps the characters.
There is a fight in the mid-season premiere, that spectacular sequence between Cookie and lucious, when Cookie just went with a bat through the the office. After the episode aired, the director Craig Brewer mentioned that the scene was supposed to end with the two characters were sexually involved but both you and Terrence lobbied hard to try to get that changed, because you felt strongly that those characters shouldn’t be together in that moment. Why did you feel so strongly about itIJ
Well, for me as a woman, I felt that the power would be lost if she had slept with him. One gets to a place where love is so deep that you sleeping together is the last thing on your mind. That’s a young way of thinking, of communicating with someone — your significant other. And at that point of time Cookie’s trying to evolve. She really loves this man and she just snapped and destroyed the entire Empire with a bat. That’s very animalistic. And then, to get to that peak of passion, it just felt like it was taking a stronger stance for herself to not fall for flesh and walk away.
I think a lot of women in relationships can understand that moment, when you know you need to walk away. Because things happen with women when they are involved with men. Oxytocin flows. That’s why you’re getting connected. So, Cookie’s a grown woman. She’s had three sons. She’s served 17 years in jail. There’s no time to play now. She’s protecting herself. That’s why I fought so hard for that. We have many years to deal with this couple and it’s a very complex relationship and I just felt that made it even more complicated.
When you walk down the street, do people come up to tell you what they think of the character or share what they think the show can doIJ
Well, usually I’m walking really fast, so they don’t get a chance to say more than just shoutout “Cookie”.
That’s all I get — Cookie. And then I have to go, “Not now. Cookie’s not here now.” I thought the hair was going to help, but, “Cookie, I like your new hair cut, girl.” But Cookie doesn’t even wear this hair.
Shows with women and minorities in prominent roles have been growing. And Empire is certainly an all-star on this roster. Is there an extra amount of pressure to keep blazing that trailIJ
No, I don’t put myself under any pressure. I think our goal is just to continue to do good work. I don’t understand why one should put that kind of pressure on themselvesIJ If we stay true to what we started off with and that’s doing good work, giving the audience good, impactful stories then there’s nothing to compete with.