Taraji P. Henson is ‘fed up’ with not getting fair pay: ‘Math is not math’

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Taraji P. Henson is opening up about her experience of being underpaid as a black actress, saying she was “tired” of it.

The Oscar-nominated actress has discussed exhausting herself to the point where she suggested she might stop acting Recent interview with SiriusXM Sitting next to her are “The Color Purple” director Blitz Bazaoli and co-star Danielle Brooks.

“I’m tired of working hard, being generous with what I do, and getting paid a fraction of the cost,” Henson said. “I’m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over again. You’re tired.”

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“I hear people say, ‘You work too much.’ “I have to. Math is not math,” she continued, explaining that doing what she does requires her to have a team behind her. “Big bills come with what we do. We don’t do this alone. The fact that we are here, we have a whole team behind us. “They should get their money.”

Henson said up to 30% of what she earns from the project goes to her team and 50% goes to paying taxes, meaning 80% of her total wages go before it reaches her account.

“It seems like every time I do something and break another glass ceiling, when it comes time to renegotiate, I find myself at the bottom again like I didn’t do what I just did, and I’m just tired. I’m tired.” she said, adding that she’s “only human.”

Henson also said she was tired of hearing the phrase “we don’t translate overseas,” something she said she had heard throughout her career.

“I see what you’re doing for another production, and when it’s time for us to go, you don’t have any money,” she said of feeling the producers didn’t show her support. “They play in your face and I’m supposed to grin and grin and bear it and keep going [on]? Enough is enough.”

Referring to the next generation of black actresses, Henson added, “And if I can’t fight for their backs behind me, then what can I do?”

“I have other things [going on besides acting] “Because this industry, if you let it, it will steal your soul. But I refuse to let that happen,” she said.

Henson’s words resonated with her colleagues, including the likes of Gabrielle Union, Viola Davis, John Boyega, Robin Thede, Winston Duke, Octavia Spencer, and Keke Palmer, to name a few.

“The entertainment industry is like any other industry. We are in business to keep our brands afloat. We are the brand/company,” Palmer wrote in an article. Instagram mail. “To make money you have to spend money, so what seems like a lot takes a lot.”

“This is why no one can have a single job anymore!” Palmer continued, explaining that this is true for many “to be successful and live in America,” adding, “I’m not complaining or comparing but I acknowledge that we all face similar struggles in our industries, and that’s because corporations run everything and they’re not.” “No people.”