Taraji P. Henson has spoken out about her and her co-star Tyrese Gibson’s different career paths following their breakout movie Baby Boy.
The Empire star pointed out that her co-star was given far more career opportunities than her after the success of John Singleton’s 2001 coming-of-age drama, in which she played Gibson’s on-screen girlfriend.
While her friends told her that her career was going to blow up with the film’s release, Henson had a gut feeling that wouldn’t be true.
“My discernment told me different,” she told U.S. Glamour. “I knew very early on, before I even understood the politics. I saw how things happen, and I was like, ‘Yeah, it will happen for Tyrese.’ I knew that. And once I figured that out, I got frustrated.”
Noting that she once told Singleton “men work more”, she added to the publication, “Tyrese took the f**k off. He’s in two franchise movies, and I still have yet to do one to this day… Did you hear that? I still have yet to do one. To this day. To this day, babe.”
While Henson has not starred in a blockbuster franchise, Gibson is well known for playing Roman Pearce in the Fast & Furious film series. He was cast by Singleton in 2 Fast 2 Furious and has reprised his role six more times, most recently in 2023’s Fast X.
In addition, he also played Sergeant Robert Epps in the Transformers film series between 2007 and 2011.
Although she doesn’t have franchise work, Henson is still booked and busy with two movie dramas – Straw and Time Alone – in the pipeline.