Oprah Winfrey Says There's 'No Validity' to Rumors of a Clash with Taraji P. Henson onThe Color Purple

Mar. 15, 2025

Oprah Winfrey; Taraji P. Henson.Photo:Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic, Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic, Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Oprah Winfreyis shutting down claims of strife between her andTaraji P. Henson.

Winfrey is one of the producers behindThe Color Purple, a new movie musical version following in the footsteps of the 1985 film that earned her an Oscar nomination.

Henson, who stars as Shug Avery in this iteration, has spoken outabout pay disparity for Black women in Hollywoodwhile promotingThe Color Purple, causing some to speculate that Winfrey and theEmpirealum had disagreements on set — though Henson has said Winfrey was supportive.

At the 2024Golden Globeson Sunday, Winfrey, 69, addressed “this whole Taraji thing” toEntertainment Tonight, after noticing “people are saying that I was not supporting Taraji.”

Said Winfrey: “There’s no validity to there being a thing between Taraji and I.”

“Taraji will tell you herself that I’ve been the greatest champion of this film,” Winfrey said on the red carpet. “Championing not only the behind-the-scenes projection but also everything that everybody needed.”

“I’m not in charge of the budget because that’s Warner Bros., you know? That’s the way the studio system works,” added Winfrey.

Taraji P. Henson and Oprah Winfrey at the Empire State Building on Dec. 12, 2023 in New York City.NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx/AP

NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx/AP

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Winfrey add that she “believe[s] that [Henson] would even vouch for that and say that is true.”

Henson, 53,got emotional in a radio interview with Gayle Kinglast month, saying she nearly quit the industry over not feeling like she was paid her worth. She said she was “tired of hearing my sisters saying the same thing over and over” about a pay gap with no changes.

Said Henson, “Every time I do something and I break another glass ceiling, when it’s time to renegotiate I’m at the bottom again like I never did what I just did… It wears on you, you know, ‘cause what does that mean? What does that tell me?"

Then, in a recentNew York Timesinterview, Henson said theColor Purpleproduction didn’t provide the cast with drivers to and from set in Atlanta, until she “fought” to have that and other elements behind the scenes. At a panel alongside Winfrey, Henson recalled how they weren’t given food during rehearsals, so she told Winfrey, “We gotta fix this,” and it was resolved, according toVariety.

On Sunday, Winfrey also addressed people online analyzing her and Henson’s body language when they interacted with each other at aColor Purplephoto call in New York City.

“There was something online about us being separated at the top of the Empire State Building. On that particular day, we were so cold, so I don’t know what kind of body language people were talking about. I was literally just trying to stay warm and that was the fourth thing we had done,” she toldET.

From left: Director Blitz Bazawule, Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks and Oprah Winfrey on Dec. 11, 2023.Arturo Holmes/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

Arturo Holmes/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

Henson, on Instagram last month,clarified that Winfrey has been supportive of her throughouttheColor Purplejourney.

“It is so important for black women and ALL women of color to support each other. It is also imperative to have women of color in decision making positions across ALL industries,” Henson wrote at the time.

She continued, “Ms. OPRAH has been nothing less than a steady and solid beacon of light to ALL OF THE CAST of The Color Purple!!! She has provided ENCOURAGEMENT, GUIDANCE and UNWAVERING SUPPORT to us all. She told me personally to reach out to her for ANYTHING I needed, and I did!““It took ONE CALL… ONE CONVERSATION… and ONE DECISION MAKING BLACK WOMAN to make me feel heard,” she added. “Thank You Ms. @OPRAH For ALL That You Do.”

The Color Purpleis in theaters now.

source: people.com