Oprah Winfrey Says There’s ‘No Validity’ to Rumors of a Clash with Taraji P. Henson on The Color Purple

Oprah Winfrey is dismissing claims of a feud between her and Taraji P. Henson.

Winfrey is one of the producers behind Purplea new version of the film musical in the footsteps of the 1985 film that earned her an Oscar nomination.

Henson, who plays Shug Avery in this iteration, spoke about the pay gap for black women in Hollywood during the promotion Purpleleading some to speculate that Winfrey and Empire alum had a falling out on set — though Henson said Winfrey was supportive.

At the 2024 Golden Globes on Sunday, Winfrey, 69, addressed “this whole Taraji thing” Party tonightafter noting that “people are saying I didn’t support Taraji.”

Winfrey said, “There is no validity to there being anything between Taraji and me.”

Taraji P. Henson Clarifies Oprah Winfrey Made Her ‘Guarded’ After Speaking Out About Being Underpaid

“Taraji will tell you herself that I was the biggest champion of this movie,” Winfrey said on the red carpet. “Supporting not only behind-the-scenes screenings, but everything everyone needs.”

“I’m not in charge of the budget because it’s Warner Bros., you know? That’s the way the studio system works,” Winfrey added.

Taraji P. Henson and Oprah Winfrey at the Empire State Building on December 12, 2023 in New York City.

NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx/AP

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She explained, “Everybody gets their paycheck, everybody’s negotiated by your team. And so, whenever I heard there was a problem or there was a problem … I’d jump in and do whatever I could to fix it.”

Winfrey adds that she “believes[s] that [Henson] he would even vouch for it and say it was true.”

Henson, 53, became emotional in a radio interview with Gayle King last month, saying she almost quit the industry because she didn’t feel like she was being paid what she was worth. She said she was “tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over again” about the pay gap without change.

Henson said, “Every time I do something and break another glass ceiling, when it comes time to renegotiate, I’m back at the bottom like I never did what I just did… It bothers you, you know, because what does it mean? What does that tell me?”

Then, in the recent The New York Times interview, Henson said Color Purple the production did not provide the actors with drivers to and from the set in Atlanta, until it “wrestled” to have that and other behind-the-scenes elements. On a panel with Winfrey, Henson recalled that they weren’t given food during rehearsals, so she told Winfrey, “We’ve got to fix this,” and it was taken care of, according to Diversity.

On Sunday, Winfrey also addressed people online by analyzing her and Henson’s body language when they interacted with each other on Color Purple photo call in New York.

“There was something online about us being separated at the top of the Empire State Building. We were so cold that particular day, so I don’t know what body language people were talking about. I was literally just trying to stay warm and that was the fourth thing which we did,” she said ET.

From left: Director Blitz Bazawule, Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks and Oprah Winfrey on December 11, 2023.

Arturo Holmes/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

Henson clarified on Instagram last month that Winfrey has been supportive all along Color Purple a journey.

“It is so important that black women and ALL women of color support each other. It is also imperative to have women of color in decision making positions in ALL industries,” Henson wrote at the time.

She continued, “Ms. OPRAH has been nothing short of a steadfast and steadfast beacon to ALL ACTING!!! She has provided us all with ENCOURAGEMENT, GUIDANCE and UNSWARNING SUPPORT. She has personally told me to reach behind her for EVERYTHING I have. I should, and I did!” “It took ONE CALL… ONE CONVERSATION… and ONE BLACK WOMAN MAKING A DECISION for me to feel heard,” she added. “Thank you Ms. @OPRAH for ALL you do.”

Purple it’s in theaters now.

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Source: HIS Education