Taraji P. Henson opened up about her role in the blockbuster hit The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, where she had a starring role as Queenie, a maid who raises Benjamin as her own child after he was abandoned on her doorstep.
While speaking about the role on Ladies First with Laura Brown podcast, Taraji revealed that she took home $40,000 after paying her team. The movie grossed over $335 million worldwide, and her co-stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett took home millions.
Taraji explained, "I felt like what I was asking, at that time of my career, was fair to the ticket sales that I would contribute to this big film. [The studio] wouldn’t do it… and then I was gutted."
Taraji then spoke about how she learned how to stand up for herself following the incident, stating, "“I understand why we took that on, Black women being the bottom of the totem pole, never being seen. I understand, but it’s when others go, ‘Yes, strong Black woman!’ and then it dismisses us... Then if my child or somebody I know is gunned down in the streets, I’m supposed to be strong through that? I’m not allowed to be angry? I’m not allowed to be pissed off?. I can’t say [anything back] because you’ve taken everything from me. I’m not allowed to feel that? I’m just supposed to be strong?"
