Taraji P. Henson brings the brightest star power — and longest history of major awards contention — to the movie musical “The Color Purple” and could earn a supporting actress Oscar nomination in 2024 for her role as the glamorous singer by blues Shug Avery.
2
A nomination for “Purple” would be Henson's second. She was nominated for her portrayal of the adoptive mother to Brad Pitt's aging and retarded character in 2008's “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”
4
Henson has received four Emmy nominations: two as the lead in a drama series for her indelible mother and music mogul Cookie Lyon in Fox's “Empire,” one as the lead in a miniseries/movie in the 2011 Lifetime movie. “Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story” and…
2023
…a notable comedy guest actress nomination for her role as teacher Janine's (Quinta Brunson) exuberant mother on ABC's “Abbott Elementary.”
2016-17
Henson's biggest awards so far have been the Golden Globe for lead actress in a television drama for “Empire” and the Screen Actors Guild ensemble award the following year for the film “Hidden Figures.”
6
Henson's total SAG nominations include one for supporting film for her 2005 big-screen hit, “Hustle & Flow,” in that her sex worker character was also called Shug and she also sang.
1985
Henson could become the second actor playing Shug Avery to be nominated for an Academy Award: Margaret Avery received a supporting nomination for the 1985 film “Color Purple.”
3
Henson and Margaret Avery starred in the film directed by Henson. 2018 action film “Proud Mary,” starring Danny Glover, the original “Mister” from 1985’s “Color Purple.”
