Congratulations to Taraji Henson

It is especially rewarding when you follow an actor's career as a fan and see it blossom into a bonified success. Such is the case with the Oscar Nominated, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button star Taraji P. Henson (if you recall, we rooted for her in our Golden Globes nominations post). From the beginning, Jace Nicole (Cookies & Cream), One Way co-owner and producer Cassandra Riddick and I have been watching - we're all fans.

Taraji first made her mark where most talented actors do - she appeared in small parts in a couple of very low budget projects - some that became available in Blockbuster, some never became available at all. But even before that, she took her 5 year old son and less than a thousand bucks, hopped on a bus to Hollywood, where she was brave enough to go after her dream of acting full time. She eventually got a manager and some more auditions. She then used those performances in small, DV films to leverage a coveted audition for a larger budgeted, Hollywood backed film. And thats where we all found her. I can remember seeing John Singleton's Baby Boy to kill some time one day, and being so stuck in my seat afterwards ("who was that???"). I then did what I had never done before, nor since. I saw it again back to back.

Taraji's performance in Baby Boy is so fierce, so honest, so inventive, it made me sure she could never repeat another one like it, if not even close to it.

I was wrong. After a brief but interestingly refreshing role in Lifetime's The Division, Taraji was cast again in a John Singleton production, the wonderful Hustle and Flow by Craig Brewer. She displayed her ability to be small and subtle, as well as aggressive (like in Baby Boy), which certified her talent and her range.

But something happened that happens to countless up and coming starlets. She began to slow down. Roles weren't coming as frequently, and when they did, they began to follow a sort of typecasting practice. She was the "neighborhood girl", i.e. clown in the Sanaa Lathan vehicle Something New. She co-starred with Don Cheadle in Talk to Me, and although once again a scene stealer, she was beginning to become pigeonholed. She would try something different in Smoking Aces alongside Alisha Keyes, but this wasnt good enough to us, Taraji Henson fans. We saw Baby Boy. We saw Hustle and Flow. And we knew what she could do.

Then things broke again in her favor. Taraji was cast in Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys, and now Not Easily Broken, alongside "Black Hollywood" vet Morris Chestnut. Simultaneously, she's in the vital role of Benjamin Button's mother in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt. The film itself is nearly perfect, and a wonderful reflection on aging, complimented by great production value and wonderfully subtle performances by both Pitt and Cate Blanchett. But its Taraji who got every one of the few laughs in the theatre when I went to see it (its not a comedy), but it was because she was so refreshing, so wonderful, so honest, that audiences immediately embraced her (I wont spoil it).

Although we are not expecting her to take the statue home that night (several other supporting performances will make it tough this year for the first-time nominee), we are incredibly proud and thrilled the Hollywood has finally taken notice to this bright, couragious, and brilliant young actress.

Here is a recent interview from her appearance on CBS shortly after the nomination announcement.

- Princeton

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