Taraji P. Henson jokes that the ‘biggest pimps are in Hollywood’

Taraji P. Henson joked that the “biggest pimps are in Hollywood” while reflecting on her performance at the 2006 Oscars.

During a performance on the Tuesday, September 3 episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy FallonHenson was asked what she remembers about her performance of “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” at the 78th Academy Awards. Henson, 53, and Three 6 Mafia performed the song — taken from the Oscar-winning film Crowds and flow — live, as it was nominated for and won the award for Best Original Song.

“That was madness,” Henson recalled to the host Jimmy Fallon. “First of all, I’m singing about pimps and whores. It was pretty surreal. I had to look above the crowd, otherwise I would have frozen and gone as fast (as I did).”

Henson recalled that the A-list audience raised their “fists in the air” and remarked: “Helen MirrenEveryone was like, ‘Yeah, it’s tough out here!’ And I was like, ‘What the hell are we doing?’ It was amazing!”

“It was a party!” Fallon added.

The Oscar nominee then joked, “The biggest pimps are in Hollywood!”

Henson quickly followed up, “I didn’t say that!” as she looked around the room and under her chair. She pointed to a microphone on Fallon’s desk and joked, “That’s what that thing said!”

Henson has been vocal about Hollywood’s pay gap in the past. In December 2023, she revealed that she had turned down her role as Shug Avery in the recent musical adaptation of Almost. The color purple due to a wage dispute.

“I almost had to run away from The color purple,” Henson said during a live interview for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. “Yes, ma’am. … If I don’t take a stand, how do I make it easy for Fantasy (Barrino) And Danielle (Brooks) And Halle (Bailey) And Phylicia (Parel Mpasi)“Why am I doing this, if it’s all just for me?”

While Henson didn’t share details about the discrepancy in her offer, she noted that she hadn’t received a “raise” since her starring role in the 2018 film. Proud Maria.

“I get really tired of black women having the same story, it breaks my heart,” she admitted. “It’s like every time you achieve something really incredible, it’s almost like the industry sees it as a fluke.”

Speaking exclusively to We weekly At the TIME 100 Gala in April, Henson said she’s not ashamed to talk openly about her struggles.

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“My strength is in my vulnerability. I lean into that because that’s where the power is,” the actress said. “To fix something or change something, you have to be vulnerable. You have to be vulnerable, and that takes courage. That’s brave. Being vulnerable, trying to be strong. People do that every day.”

Henson added that there is power in letting people see you cry, noting, “It’s human.”