Taraji P. Henson doesn’t answer calls from phone numbers she doesn’t know, and it almost cost her the opportunity of a lifetime.
In an interview with Essence, Henson spoke about the time she accidentally ignored Oprah Winfrey’s call about being cast as Shug Avery in The Color Purple musical film.
“I saved my recording. I don’t answer calls from numbers that I don’t know, and Oprah’s number comes up unknown,” Henson said. “Tyler Perry hit me and was like, ‘Are you answering your phone?’ I was like, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘Girl, just answer the phone!’ I’ll never forget the day. I was so nervous. What do you say to Oprah? I was practicing my, ‘Hi! Hello! Yes, Oprah!’ And finally, she came on the phone and told me, ‘Shug Avery is coming to town!’ It was the best moment ever.”
Henson also went on to mention that she turned down an offer to be in a Broadway adaption because she feared blowing out her vocal cords.
“You go in the studio, you sing the song, and then they play it on the set,” Henson said. “So, you don’t have to really sing full-out. It’s the difference between singing that one time in the studio (and) singing eight nights in a row on Broadway.”
