Taraji P. Henson says that playing Cookie on the hit music industry drama ‘Empire’ has ruined her personal life. In fact, she says that the hardest part of her job has nothing to do with anything she does in front of the camera.
Instead, Tariji says that she’s having a difficult time dealing with her fame and knowing that she can’t go out in public anymore without being recognized by everyone on the street.
Even though Tariji has been a well-known actress in the entertainment industry for years, it wasn’t until she landed the role as Cookie Lyon in ‘Empire’ that she become a household name. Cookie is considered to be one of the most explosive characters on the small screen right now with her scene-stealing wardrobe and tough-talking persona.
Yet Taraji P. Henson’s success definitely comes with a price. In a new interview with actor Ryan Reynolds for an ‘Actors on Actors’ chat, Tariji says she’s having a hard time accepting the fact that she can’t do simple things in life like shop anymore without being surrounded by a mob of fans. She also says that a lot of her fans expect her to be just like ‘Empire’s’ Cookie when in reality she’s nothing like her on-screen character.
Taraji said, “You’re walking down the street and they’re just like, ‘Hey Cookie’ — maybe I didn’t want the world to see how I looked today, maybe I wore these sweats yesterday. It was fine until Cookie came, I was okay under the radar, I could go to Target. I never saw that coming. I go from this normal life to having to find a house on a private gated road, it’s crazy.”
To make matters even worse for her, Tariji P. Henson admits that she sometimes walks around in a wig and sunglasses just in case die-hard Cookie fans might recognize her. She’s had to make so many changes in her personal life that Tariji says that her life will simply never be the same ever again.
And while Ryan Reynolds tried to justify it as the price Hollywood stars pay for being public figures, Tariji says that it’s something she just doesn’t feel comfortable with.
Do you think Taraji P. Henson is having a hard time with fame? Let us know what you think by dropping us a line in our comments section below. Also, check back with CDL for all the latest news on Tariji P. Henson.
Photo credit: Instagram
Taraji P. Henson (@TherealTaraji) & Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) on auditions, social media, Cookie and Deadpool https://t.co/o6woOzi8dQ pic.twitter.com/pwzoHjlTwr
— Variety (@Variety) November 28, 2016
The queen stays ready to clap back. 👏 #EmpireFOX @therealTaraji pic.twitter.com/Fw0Hs0dB65
— Empire (@EmpireFOX) November 16, 2016
