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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
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Tayo Bero

Why do Black female artists still have to fight for respect in Hollywood?

Black woman wearing long, purple dress stands in front of black background with white and orange writing.
Taraji P Henson at the 75th Emmy awards in Los Angeles on Monday. Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Between history-making wins and thoroughly life-affirming speeches, Black women definitely took center stage at this year’s Emmys. And after a night like that, it’s whiplash-inducing for me to recall just how shabbily veteran actress Taraji P Henson and her co-stars were allegedly treated while filming the $100m Steven Spielberg-produced remake of The Color Purple.

Henson, a Golden Globe winner, spoke candidly to the New York Times about how much she had to fight for on the set of the Warner Bros film – not just for herself, but for all of the members of the hugely talented ensemble cast, which included Tony-nominated actress Danielle Brooks and Grammy-winning Fantasia Barrino.

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