Taraji P. Henson was unhappy with a production company’s decision to give rental cars to “The Color Purple” cast in Atlanta.
She previously complained about her salary for playing Shug Avery in the 2023 musical. The pay dispute was resolved by Oprah Winfrey, one of the film’s executive producers.
Taraji also had complaints about her transportation to the set while on location in Atlanta. She said the lack of chauffeured transportation was another example of the production company cutting corners for Black stars.
“They gave us rental cars, and I was like, ‘I can’t drive myself to the set in Atlanta.’ This is insurance liability, it’s dangerous. Now they robbing people. What do I look like, taking myself to work by myself in a rental car?” She told told the New York Times.
“So I was like, ‘Can I get a driver or security to take me?’ I’m not asking for the moon. They’re like, ‘Well, if we do it for you, we got to do it for everybody.’ Well, do it for everybody! It’s stuff like that, stuff I shouldn’t have to fight for. I was on the set of ‘Empire’ fighting for trailers that wasn’t infested with bugs.”
Taraji said the fight for equal treatment is taking a toll on her mental health.
“It wears on your soul because you fight so hard to establish a name for yourself and be respected in this town to no avail,” she said.
Taraji’s fans sided with her, saying it’s too dangerous for stars to drive themselves around a city they are unfamiliar with. Particularly Atlanta where crime is high.
One fan wrote on Twitter/X: “yall wanted taraji to go down to enterprise & do what???? come again??? rent a car? to drive in atlanta to the set of the color purple??? is everyone unwell?????”
