Ten Things You Didn't Know About Taraji P. Henson

A Howard University alum, a strong mother and more!

Singer - We know Henson has chops, but did you know she has pipes, too? The actress made her singing debut in Hustle & Flow and performed the Academy Award winning song, “It’s Hard Out Here For a Pimp,” on the Oscar telecast. She also did all her own singing in Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself, in which she played a nightclub singer. Henson does more screaming than singing in her latest film, No Good Deed, but at least her cries for help are in key! (Photo: MTV Films)
Working College Student - Henson is no stranger to hard work. Her determination was clear from her college days, when she held down two jobs — one on campus, and one as a secretary at the Pentagon — to put herself through Howard University and became one of the HBCU’s most distinguished alums. Like her character in No Good Deed, Henson’s work ethic has been instrumental to her survival on screen, and in Hollywood.(Photo: Sony Pictures, Screen Gems)
The Heart Truth - Henson’s generous spirit doesn’t just extend to her family, colleagues and animal friends. The actress has logged many hours as a celebrity ambassador for The Heart Truth, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease. Henson even modeled a red dress in the charity’s 2011 Fashion Week runway show. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Heart Truth Red Dress)
Daddy's Girl - Henson calls her father, Boris Henson, the motivation behind her career. The maintenance worker fell on hard times after her parents’ divorce and was homeless in Washington, D.C. before he pulled his life back together. Henson remembered his resilient spirit, and his encouragement of her passion for acting, when she was a struggling actress in Hollywood. In No Good Deed, as a former district attorney who opts to become a stay-at-home mom, Henson shows a similar level of sacrifice and commitment to her kids.(Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for PCA)71089937VB007_girlz

Next Gallery

The Best Black Celebrity Looks From NYFW That Shut Down the Runway and the Streets

9 Photos

6 / 11

Working College Student - Henson is no stranger to hard work. Her determination was clear from her college days, when she held down two jobs — one on campus, and one as a secretary at the Pentagon — to put herself through Howard University and became one of the HBCU’s most distinguished alums. Like her character in No Good Deed, Henson’s work ethic has been instrumental to her survival on screen, and in Hollywood.(Photo: Sony Pictures, Screen Gems)

ADVERTISEMENT