Taraji P. Henson Praying to God for First Black Actress to Win Emmy for Best Lead Actress in Drama
Taraji P. Henson is nominated for an Emmy award and will find out if she's won the award for best lead actress in a drama next week. But instead of focusing on winning the honor for herself, the "Empire" actress is praying for more of a historical feat to happen.
Aside from Henson, 45, the "How to Get Away With Murder" actress Viola Davis is also nominated for the lead actress award, which means that one of the two could become the first African-American actress to win an Emmy for lead actress in a drama.
"Here we are in 2015, and we're still saying things like, 'First African-American,' 'First woman this,'" she told Entertainment Weekly. "I just pray to God … and it's not even about me. I hope Viola wins. I hope I win. Just so we can get past this and we don't have to say in 2020 or 2030 or 3000, 'The first.'"
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The "Empire" star has a career that spans almost two decades with roles like Queenie in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" that earned her an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress in 2009. In the midst of her hard work, Henson has admitted to envying other thespians who've won awards ahead of her.
"I used to have this crazy thing with Amy Adams. You see her consistently getting nominated, as she should, because Amy does good work," Henson told "Uptown." "But, it's like, 'Well, I did good work too.' But if you choose to stay in that place then you become miserable."
Still, the Christian actress admitted that her feelings were not of God.
"It's a pity party and nobody cares. I'm human, so I've done it," Henson told "Uptown." "But I check that because it's ego and it's the devil."
Henson has leaned on her faith to get her into the doors of Hollywood and previously spoke to The Christian Post about how it has impacted her life.
"It has definitely kept me sane and continues to keep me sane because I know how I got here. I moved to California with $700 in my pocket with my son and a dream and faith," Henson told CP. "And every time a door would close I would pray to God like 'I know you've got a plan for me because I'm still here.' There's a plan for me and I believe in that."
Those beliefs have carried Henson through the rejection that comes with being turned down for roles in her line of work and allowed her to walk in God's will for her life.
"Whenever I thought I was supposed to get something and it didn't fall through, I would just fall back to God and be like 'OK, well, what else, because whatever you've got must be better than this,'" she previously revealed to CP. "And then it is, it always is."
Henson has shared this faith with her fans and made sure to respond when one in particular took to Twitter last year and asked, "What's the best advice you have to offer as I begin my journey?"
The actress made sure to give a faith filled response in her reply by tweeting, "#nevergiveup #God+Faith=MooveMountain."
