The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Taraji P. Henson Talks 'STRAW,' Protecting Black Women, Tyler Perry, Oprah, Sobriety Journey +More

Episode Date: June 6, 2025

Today on The Breakfast Club, Taraji P. Henson Talks 'STRAW,' Protecting Black Women, Tyler Perry, Oprah, Sobriety Journey. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. I'm Andrea Gunning, host of the podcast Betrayal. Police Lieutenant Joel Kern used his badge to fool everyone. Most of all, his wife, Caroline. He texted, I've ruined our lives. You're going to want to divorce me. How far would he go to cover up what he'd done? The fact that you lied is absolutely horrific.

And quite frankly, I question how many other women are out there that may bring forward allegations in the future. Listen to Betrayal on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Made for This Mountain podcast exists to empower listeners to rise above their inner struggles and face the mountain in front of them. So during Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast, focus on your emotional well-being, and then climb that mountain. You will never be able to change or grow through the thing that you refuse to identify, the thing that you refuse to say, hey, this is my mountain. This is the struggle. Listen to Made for This Mountain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have you ever thought about going voiceover? I'm Hope Woodard, a comedian, creator, and seeker of male validation. I'm also the girl behind voiceover the movement that exploded in 2024 You might hear that term and think it's about celibacy

But to me voiceover is about understanding yourself outside of sex and relationships. It's flexible It's customizable and it's a personal process Singleness is not a waiting room. You are actually at the party right now. Let me hear it. Yes. Listen to VoiceOver on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This week on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler, Maren Morris is here.

You came out of a marriage, you came out of quote unquote country music, and you had a huge growth spurt from what I can tell I was Expanding and growing at a really fast pace And yes, you could throw motherhood and the postpartum thing learning about myself There were a lot of like identity crises going on But I realized like I can't look back and slow down for people Listen to dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app,

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Lorna Rosa is here as well. And we got a special guest in the building. Yes indeed. The icon. The legend. Taraji got a special guest in the building. Yes, indeed. The icon. The legend. Taraji P. Henson. Welcome back. Thank you.

I can't tell that I'm a legend because I'm not on this wall. Can you get the wall? We got something special for you. It just wasn't done yet. I'm telling you. I don't want to hear no special. I need to be on the wall. It's going to be bigger than the wall.

And it's going to be something that's in the studio. Because we love you. Angie love you. Watch. You'll see. Watch. Just watch. It's going to be worth it. You know, I've been told them, put you up there.

You know what I'm saying? Then what he say to me as soon as I walk in here? The legend. Oh shit. You sound like a Hollywood exec right now. Hello, legend. No, we're looking no, no, we looking for somebody else. Right. Nobody says that to you no more, though. What? That they looking for somebody else.

It's just the whole Hollywood of it all. We love her. We love her. Well, where is my check, bitch? Yeah. One thing I know about you and OGs like Mary J. Blige, y'all over it. Mm-hmm.

Y'all over it. I can be. I just, you know, the thing is the older you get, I just can't do the BS, like, just be real with me. That's all. I'm a grown ass girl, I'm a woman, I can take it. Just be real, don't be blowing smoke. Have you called me a legend?

How are you feeling? We didn't even ask how you're feeling. You are a legend. How are you feeling? How are you feeling? We didn't ask, you didn't even ask. I'm feeling great. I am feeling amazing amazing to be quite honest

because I'm not dealing with nobody's unhealed son or daughter. Yes, I can't do it. That's right, that's right. I can't. You're not on your healing journey. I can't help you, baby. Because I can't take on your trauma

while I'm trying to get over mine. Yeah. And you not trying to heal yours. I can't help you. I'm not qualified. So now you loving on yourself. Oh my God, the peace that I found. Like, you know, even somebody asking me to come out,

the first question I ask is, is it gonna disturb my peace? That's right. Cause you know when you're young, you can have FOMO a little bit. It's like I gotta go and then you find yourself going, why did I just stay home? You know, no more of those moments. Cause I'd rather be home with my fat frenchies. a little bit, it's like I gotta go and then you find yourself going, why did I just stay home? No more of those moments, because I'd rather be home with my fat frenchies.

You know what I always wanted to ask you, has being an advocate for mental health ever made you feel more exposed than being just a public figure in Hollywood? More exposed? Yeah, because you tell more of yourself being a mental health advocate, because you probably,

if you was just Taraji in Hollywood who wasn't that, you wouldn't have to probably give up so much. That's true, but I kinda always been that. So I wear my heart on my sleeve, so I just, I don't know if I feel any different. I'm still looking at this wall, but go ahead. I got something better, we got something better. I'm telling you, go ahead.

I wanna ask, where did you get to the point where you don't have to come out for the BS, right? It's weird, we just had this conversation the other day where it was like I got to a place a couple of years ago where I just say no. Before it was like I felt like I had to do it, I had to show up, I had to go. And sometimes things F up your piece.

But now it's to the point where if I feel like the energy's gonna be off or I just don't, nah, fuck it, I ain't going. I'm not going. No is my favorite word. I love saying that word, no. And that's it, I don't owe you an explanation. Like when I was with our forever first lady,

Michelle Obama, doing her show, she was like, no is a complete sentence, and it absolutely is. When did you get there? When did it click? Which Bolly trip was it? Ah, the first one. The first one when I went alone.

The first one, because that alone, the first one. Cause that refocused me, re-centered me. I was, I didn't, I felt outside of myself before I went to Bali. That was a well needed trip cause I was literally losing myself. I didn't even know who I was. The joy, I'm the one that brings the life to the party.

You know? And I become, I was like tight all the time and not happy and complaining a lot. That's just not me. Even my team noticed, they were like, is everything okay? You don't, you seem a little, you know? And that's just not in my DNA.

So I had to unplug and just go away and be with myself in the middle of a rice field. Well, maybe you wanna share that with the world because I started seeing it in my happy face. Because I feel like people need to hear that. I think sometimes when they see public figures, they think we have it all together because we've found some money or whatever.

People think that money heals. Money will bring you more problems than you had when you were broke. I often find myself saying, damn, I miss when I was broke and dreaming, because everything seemed possible. But then when you make it and you get behind the Wizard of Oz curtain and it's like, oh, this shit ain't what it seems.

You're here for Straw. Yes. Girl, very moving film. Thank you, you saw it. Yes, listen, what did you channel? Because you are healing, you mean your healing journey, but to put yourself in a role like that, you had to go back, you had to go back.

That was a trying day. So the movie was like, it took place one day. To deal with all that in a day, and to have to embody that much trauma, because I don't want to give away the ending. Because you know, but it's just saying. The ending is gonna fuck you up. What did you pull from?

Did you have to go put yourself back where you were, where you were going through everything? Well. Shoot me some bullshit Hollywood executives. No, no, no. I am a single mother. I moved to Hollywood with my son, who was a toddler at the time, $700 in my pocket,

and just a pocket full of dreams and Jesus. And so I've, humans, we all can have a moment where we can snap. You know, I think what made me different from Jani is that I've always had a support system. So I have a sister circle where they'll talk me off the ledge, you know what I mean? But have I ever got to the point where I wanted to snap? Yes, that's why I went to Bali, you know what I mean?

So, but she didn't have the resources, she didn't have the support, so all she had was the voices in her head. And she literally reached her point where she just couldn't take it anymore, and things just got out of control, and she, God bless her heart, she was just trying to do the best she could

with what she had. And I, in particular, I am drawn to characters who are voiceless and need a voice, because I am such a big personality. I like to breathe light into those characters, because I feel like those characters are real. You know, Tyler Perry didn't just pull this out of the sky. These women exist, these people exist, and they need to see themselves, and they need to know that they're not alone,

and that people do see them. Does it make you mad when people tell Tyler Perry to stop showing those women on camera? I think that's their own trauma's triggered. Because in the community, black community, we don't deal with it, you know what I mean? So if you're forced to look at it often, you will be triggered. So the first thing you're gonna wanna say is, we don't deal with it. You know what I mean? So if you're forced to look at it often, you will be triggered.

So the first thing you're gonna wanna say is, I don't wanna see it. But there are people out there that need to see it. He's forcing real conversations in the community. That's why I'll never stop working with him. So for a person that does the work on themselves the way you do, when you gotta go on an intense emotional journey for a four day shoot,

what is your approach to that? Like how do you prepare for like those inevitable triggers? I have trained, well I think out of necessity, I've trained my instrument, my body is my instrument. Just like, you know, a musician has a guitar, they know how to hit the notes. I have an on and off switch, and I think that's because I was a mother very young, and when I would work

and come home, I didn't have time to process and deal with the character that I portrayed, because now it's homework, he gotta eat, I gotta size for your project, you know what I mean? So I had to turn it off. So I'm just trying, I literally, you ask anybody that I've worked with,

I could be in the middle of a scene balling my eyes out and they'll yell cut, and I'll be like, what a fried chicken. You know what I mean? Or I have these games that I play on my iPad because I have to separate myself from the character. I cannot stay, again, that is that character's trauma. I can't take that on.

I just can't because I have my own shit to deal with. So literally when they yell cut, I'm back to Taraji, just like that. Is it easier to shoot a four day movie, because y'all did this movie in four days, right? Or is it more difficult, because you gotta do everything in those four days? It's taxing, but I like it.

Especially when the subject matter is so heavy, because I don't have to stay in it long. Like, you know, that fourth day I was like, oh my God, I gotta do this again. You know what I mean? Because it's not comfortable. Showing a character's trauma and pain is like showing you some of my trauma and pain.

And it's healing, but having to open up those wounds, it's not comfortable. It's not comfortable to be in that. But it is healing. There's not comfortable to be in that. But it is healing. There's a visual reference in the movie, I think what I call it, is a visual reference to Annie Lee's Blue Monday painting.

Yes, that's exactly it. Okay, so I'm not crazy. No. Okay, so even visually showing things like that in a film, and that image is so iconic, and you're speaking without speaking when that scene happens. When you're looking at a script, is that something that's already there that image is so iconic and you're speaking without speaking when that scene happens. When you're looking at a script,

is that something that's already there when you and Tyler Perry are discussing going in or? Tyler Perry came up with that all on his own. Okay. Yeah. And you nailed it. Oh, I know the painting too. And I've had Blue Mondays. You know, where I just felt like,

shit, I don't wanna do it today. I think we all understand that. That's why that painting hits, especially for black women. How did your advocacy for mental wellness inform your portrayal of Janiya's psychological state? Understanding her breaking point and understanding what it is to just be going through the motions,

barely hanging on by a thread. Like, I get that. I understand what that looks like. That's why at the end, when they go back, you kinda, you like, oh, you can see exactly when she snaps. It's crazy. And I ain't trying to, it is crazy when that happens. Somebody in the movie said it's more expensive to be poor.

Oh my God. Can you elaborate on that? Okay, so prime example. Tyler said when he was homeless, he called his mother and was like, can you send me $20? She said, you need to bring your black ass home because it's going to cost me $15 just to send you $20. And I don't think people really understand that. I wanted to know, without giving too much away,

what's the message in straw that you hope sticks with people after the credits roll? So there was women unity, there was so much about it. What's that one message that you want people to get in and understand? That we should move with grace at all times because you never know what somebody's going through. Never judge a book by its cover

because you never know what battles a person is fighting. You just don't. And really see people. Don't just throw, how you doing? Really wait for a response and really ask the question to want to know. Connect with people, say hi, how are you, you know, and really mean it. Because that could save a human's life,

just that human interaction, especially for people who feel unseen. I wonder when Tyler even was casting you for that role, did he even know what you had went through? Because if I write a role about somebody getting to their breaking point, knowing somebody already had got one, it feels kinda. Tyler and I are friends of hers,

and so we talk all the time about personal things, and so he knows a lot about me, but he said when he started writing, he just had to, he was going through his own thing, and he had to get it out and on the page, and then he said as he was writing, he saw me. And he'll bring me a lot of projects, and I'll be like, you know what, Tyler,

I don't think this is for me. I think this is somebody else's blessing. You know? And then he'll just keep writing. And when he got straw, he said, he hit me. He said, I got one for you. And he sent it to me. And I read it.

I said, this is it. This is the one. So that's kind of how we operate. How do you not fight somebody over Tyler? How do I not? How do you not fight somebody over Tyler? How do I not? How do you not fight? Because they attack Tyler a lot. I look out security?

No, I mean, not like that. I think he was president. But online, because he does so much for people, and he's so good to, especially our community. And I think a lot of times people don't see that. And even people that he doesn't know, he helps so much. He talks to, he guides, he mentors, and you guys are so close. How do you not just say, you know what,

sometimes I gotta black out on somebody. I don't think I have to, because his action speaks louder than the haters, because this man owns a studio, what you got. Every raise that I've gotten, and whenever I'm treated the best in this industry, it's always by him. Every raise that I've gotten

has come from a black man, Tyler Perry. He doubled my quote in Straw, four days of work. Which is so important for when you go on to that next. He understands that. That man has helped. He does so much that we don't even know, because he's not even talking about it. You filmed two movies at the same time,

Fight Night and Strong, right? Did you find the two characters bleeding into each other or is it? Not at all. Totally different. He was the first director to challenge me in that way because I was in the thrills of Empire when he called with Acrimony and I was like, Tyler, I don't know, I was playing the thespian. I don't know if I can get into this character.

He was like, girl, with your instrument, you can do it. He was like, you gonna come down here, we gonna shoot it in five, I was like, five days? He said, you can do it. If anybody can do it, Taraji, you can do it. And he challenged me, he knows I love a good challenge. I lean into roles that scare the shit out of me because I have to grow in some way or change

or be transcended or something. and that's what I want from my audience and if I'm not doing it as the artist then how is the audience going to transform? So I lean into challenges and he knows that about me because he's a Virgo as well and so now I'm a pro at it because of Tyler. So when he called this time I didn't even think about it. I was like great four days in and out? Okay let's go. You think the industry is finally catching up

to your range? Are you still underestimated in certain rooms? Just as an actress? No, I think they get it. I think I'm at a really particular point in my, a special place in my career where I've done so much that I can't just do anything anymore. Cause y'all will be like, why she do that?

You know what I mean? And so, you know, it's just looking for that right material and it doesn't come like that. So that my fans are frustrated cause I'll post a pretty picture. They like, that's cute. When your next movie coming out? It's like, I have to be very particular

about what I'm choosing now. And some of this stuff doesn't exist and I have to create it. And so that takes a little longer. What age were you when you did Empire? That was 10 years. It was, I was 45. It was 2015.

The reason why I asked you that is because I saw your interview where you talked about you were overseas and how people received you overseas. And you realized then how big Like us overseas were like that whole thing and I'm wondering right now in your career You just said you can't do anything and the you get into these different levels So early in your career, even though you've been our Taraji forever What are new experiences that you're having just in your celebrity life at where you are right now in your career that we might have thought that you've already experienced before?

I don't know. I guess for me it's always, because people always go, do you not know who you are? Like I went to the, I still like to go to the grocery store and buy my own damn produce. Like by Empire you were iconic to us already. Okay, thank you. But you know after so many years of being told by the industry, oh no one knows you overseas and then I get overseas and they're like, please, please, picture, picture. That still throws me. Like I just came back from Cannes and it's the age range for me. It's like the grandma all the way down sometimes to the great grandchildren and I'm leaving Cannes and I forget, you know, I'm overseas. I'm like, don't nobody know me.

All of a sudden I get. I'm Andrea Gunning, host of the podcast, Betrayal. Police Lieutenant Joel Kern used his badge to fool everyone. Most of all, his wife, Caroline. He texted, I've ruined our lives. You're going to want to divorce me. Caroline's husband was living another life behind the scenes. He betrayed his oath to his family and to his community.

She said you left bruises, pulled her hair, that type of thing. No. How far would Joel go to cover up what he'd done? You're unable to keep track of all your lies, and quite frankly, No. How far would Joel go to cover up what he'd done? You're unable to keep track of all your lies, and quite frankly, I question how many other women may bring forward allegations in the future. This season of Betrayal investigates one officer's decades of deception. Lies that left those closest to him questioning everything they thought they knew.

Listen to Betrayal on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Camp Shane, one of America's longest running weight loss camps for kids, promised extraordinary results. Campers who began the summer in heavy bodies were often unrecognizable when they left. In a society obsessed with being thin, it seemed like a miracle solution. But behind Camp Shane's facade of happy, transformed children

was a dark underworld of sinister secrets. Kids were being pushed to their physical and emotional limits as the family that owned Shane turned a blind eye. Nothing about that camp was right. It was really actually like a horror movie. In this eight episode series, we're unpacking and investigating stories of mistreatment and re-examining the culture of fatphobia that enabled a flawed system to continue for so long. You can listen to all episodes of Camp Shame one week early and totally ad free on iHeart True Crime Plus.

So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts and subscribe today. Made for This Mountain is a podcast that exists to empower listeners to rise above their struggles, break free from the chains of trauma, and silence the negative voices that have kept them small. Through raw conversations, real stories, and actionable guidance,

you can learn to face the mountain that is in front of you. You will never be able to change or grow through the thing that you refuse to identify. The thing that you refuse to say, hey, this is my mountain. This is the struggle. This is the thing that's in front of me. You can't make that mountain move without actually diving into it. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to conquer the things that once felt impossible and step boldly into the best version of yourself to awaken the unstoppable strength that's inside of us all.

So tune into the podcast, focus on your emotional well-being, and climb your personal mountain. Because it's impossible for you to be the most authentic you. It's impossible for you to love you fully if all you're doing is living to please people. Your mountain is that. Listen to Made For This Mountain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have you ever thought about going voiceover? I'm Hope Woodard, a comedian, creator, and seeker of male validation. To most people, I'm the girl behind VoiceOver, the movement that exploded in 2024.

VoiceOver is about understanding yourself outside of sex and relationships. It's more than personal. It's political, it's societal, and at times, it's far from what I originally intended it to be. These days, I'm interested in expanding what it means to be voiceover, to make it customizable for anyone who feels the need to explore their relationship to relationships. I'm talking to a lot of people who will help us

think about how we love each other. It's a very, very normal experience to have times where a relationship is prioritizing other parts of that relationship that are being naked together. How we love our family. I've spent a lifetime trying to get my mother to love me, but the price is too high. And how we love ourselves. Singleness is not a waiting room. You are actually at the party right now.

Let me hear it. Listen to VoiceOver on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Crowded by this group of people. And then over in the corner, I see these young boys and it's like a soccer team or something. They're standing there with their camera. And I just- Hey, Ms. Hansen. I don't even think they spoke fluent English, but they knew exactly who I was,

because one of them said, that's Tito Shee. And I was like, babies, come on. And they all gathered around. I'm telling, I'm like, maybe 10. But that always throws me when the babies know who I am. I'm just like, dang, I'm still relevant. Well, round of applause for Taraji being 54 years old. Why would you ever want a young girl

when black women age like that? And I hope you don't mind me asking your age. I hope you don't mind me asking you that. No, no, no. The reason I ask that is because- I tell people my age. Okay. Because I hate that women, we feel ashamed of aging

when men can have beer bellies, you balding, sorry. Okay, he's not balding, it's bald. He's been gay. I gave up a long time ago. Put your head down, we can kind of see where the hairline used to be. I got a haircut yesterday. But you understand what I mean?

And then they can have a young thing on their arm and we let that pass and we have to be ashamed of our age? No, I'm not doing it. At one point you were flirting with leaving Hollywood. You said you were tired with the bullshit, the low balling. That's before I went to Bali. Mm. Mm.

The second time or the first time? The first time. The first time, okay. Yeah, I had, remember I had gotten to a better place, but see, that's what happens when you give so much power over to humans. See, I know God chose me. I'm called chosen and covered.

So when you know that, everything's not gonna be easy. You know, I had to get back to that. That's what got me to Hollywood with $700 in my pocket and my toddler. Because I knew I had a calling. And I just stirred away from that. But I'm back. You feel appreciated more?

I do, I do. I don't look, you know, it's like, it's interesting because you go, I didn't get nominated for this award. Again, did you see the powerful talk that Denzel did about how he got bitter? I mean, that was me, that was me. And it particularly happened after Hidden Figures.

I was like, what do I have to do? Like, you know, y'all didn't see the range there? Yeah. I'm still playing Cookie, and then I gave you a rocket scientist. Like, what? And that hurt a little bit. But again, it hurt because of the power

I placed in man's hand. But if you step back from that and take that power back, look how many black girls are coding now. Not even black girls, young kids, kids period. Like so, that's what I always wanted and that's what I asked God. I said I want longevity and I want the work that's going to affect lives in a positive way.

I want the work that people are gonna study long after I'm gone, like I did the greats that came before me, you know, and when you ask, that's specific, it may not be the awards, you know. I figure if I keep working, that shit'll come. But what's rewarding to me are when fans come up to me and go, bae, that last, it touched me. It made me change the way I think about things.

That's rewarding to me. You know, it's funny, because we were talking on the phone yesterday, and she was just saying how much of a fan of you she is. I mean, Jess is wild, right? But I'm just like, there's nothing wrong with expressing that, share that with her, because you just existing provides that inspiration.

And then she shamed me because I was just like, I was like, you damn right, we saw Taraji, I saw Taraji in the theaters for Baby Boy, and she was like, you saw Baby Boy in theaters? She made you feel old in the crap. I've never thought about Baby Boy in a movie theater. I've never thought about it on BET. That's crazy.

That's crazy. I never thought about it. How old are you? Are you even legal? 33, 33. She's 33. She's 33. She's older than my son. I don't know just how you feel but I feel like we're wanting to be in entertainment be in television like it's you think of you because you're able to be it always seemed like you've been able to be yourself so when we were like I know for myself when I heard you talk about that before that first Bali trip not feeling like enough I'm like wait what like she's been the this is how you can be the girl from where you from around the So when I heard you talk about that before that first Bali trip, not feeling like enough, I'm like, wait, what?

Like she's been the, this is how you can beat a girl from where you from, around the way, whatever you want to call it. But like you're in Hollywood and you're graceful and your career impacts. So I'm glad you're out of that because I was like, what? This is the Taraji P Henson. It was actual burnout because of the work.

You know, people go, you work a lot, I too. Because the math ain't math and the zeros ain't adding up. And so because you see somebody working a lot, a lot of times when it's us, it's because that one job is not gonna cover you for the year. I wish I could just do two films and be like, I mean, I'm kinda to that point now.

You know what I mean? But there are actors out there that just one job a year because that's how they get paid. And I don't think people really understand the breakdown of the math. You know, 50 cent, if somebody goes, they made $10 million, right? You gotta remember Uncle Sam is coming to take half of that

off the top. And then you have to pay your 30 or 40%, whatever you're paying your team off your gross. So you're not taking home $10 million. I know it sounds amazing, but you're not taking it home. Somebody gets paid one million for a film, they not seeing that one million in their bank account. Do the math.

You know, so that's why, so I think a lot of it was burnout and frustration because once I lifted my head and was like, why do I have to work so much? You know, I just got burned out. I became bitter. You know, a lot of people thought you were kicking Tyler and Oprah's back in during the color purple.

Oh my God, why would they think that? I guess because they were the producers of the film and they thought that when you were complaining about the pay, it was- You know they had bosses, right? And when have you ever seen me drag another woman particularly a black woman yeah ever I'm ten toes down for us Never and then the fact that blogs and I think it was just a campaign so that this black movie wouldn't do well. Right. Because to stay, I even saw some bits about it was my fault that the film didn't do well.

Oh yeah, I saw that as well. What? How did, how, how? They tried to say that you, because of the conversation you raised about the money and things that weren't right, it pivoted the focus to people aren't going to go see the film. They care more about what is Taraji saying? Is it true or not? That's, you know, that weren't right. It pivoted the focus to people aren't going to go see the film. They care more about what is Taraji saying? Is it true or not? That's you know, that's total BS. No, I know it is.

But I'm just telling you what the conversation, what you're referring to or telling Jess with the conversation. And me and Oprah, I have such a love and a fondness for her. She just texted me the other day, commending me on a job well done and strong. So that was all fictious. And to draw a wedge between us, but see I'm not gonna let you do that.

Because I went to her defense right away. Y'all not gonna do that to this woman. All of this, what she does, I mean like stop it. Stop that, it's disrespectful. Even with Tyler, Tyler's the person that pays you the most. What? I'm never gonna not work with Tyler. That's just, that's insane to me.

I enjoy working with him. I really, really do. We have fun on that set. I that's insane to me. I enjoy working with him. I really, really do. We have fun on that set. I love that he challenges me. I understand, I'm never gonna turn my back on us. People that go to the Tyler Perry films, there's a huge population of us. So for me to say I'm not gonna do it,

that's me turning my back on us. I would never. Speaking of black women in relationships, your character, Astral Janiah, during her like worst moment, black women in the movie still like, get around her and huddle around her. Even almost like forcibly,

but like not really because they identify with her. Absolutely. What is, you know, not even the importance, but like when people watch those moments even the importance, but like, when people watch those moments throughout the movie, what do you want them to take from that? That we are, we need each other and we're more powerful when we support each other. Um, I'm a huge, you know how I am with the sister girls, you know, and I told this to the Spellman lady graduating class of 2025. The last thing I said to them was like, ladies,

like we are more powerful in numbers, we need to support each other. Do not air your grievances with another sister in public. You got a problem with her, pull it to the side, that's between you and her to fix. That is not for the public to weigh in with their shallow opinions. I said, as black women, we take too many bullets

from society. Why would I be another obstacle for another sister to get over? I'm just not gonna do it. My bad, Lauren. I love you, y'all. My bad. You know, we here with you.

We here with you. We here now. We here now. We here now. We here now. Please, G. We had a woman earlier today. I needed to depend on her. I'm glad that's beautiful and that's growth.

And more of that, but it breaks my heart when I see sisters go at it in public. It does something to me. Because we have enough to overcome. Why should it be another sister? Like we got the same struggle. Yeah. So the dynamic between you and Sherri Shepherd and Teyana Taylor in the movie, that's the enhanced

like the exploration of sisterhood and solidarity, is that what you're trying to do? Absolutely. Tyler wrote that. He doesn't do anything by mistake. Like he's a Virgo, he's very calculated. Cause I was wondering if that dynamic, was that something you brought in?

But it was already there. It was already there. He wrote it like that. See, because you know, Detective Raymond, who Tiana played so effortlessly, that girl. Let me just say this about Tiana. She coming for everything, y'all. Oh, yeah. She's coming for everybody and everybody's necks

and everything. What I love about her, I mean, she just leaves nothing on the table. She checks every box. She's just incredible. Have you seen the snippet for her new video coming? Yes. The movie? The mini movie that she directed?

Yes. Something in front of the camera, behind the camera. She does. She's busy. She's up with the artist. Every gift that God gave her, she the camera. She just does. She's amazing talent. Every gift that God gave her, she is using. An amazing person too.

I mean sweetheart, I love her. Anyway, when she starts hearing my character, Janaya's story, she totally identifies because she's a single mother. So that touches her right, she's like, wait a minute, and see for us, do you, have you ever seen that series called, is it The Center?

It's called The Center. And it's about people who do these crimes and there's this gentleman who's a detective and he goes to the why. There's always a why. And when you understand the why, then you're able to show compassion and give some grace. Because people just don't do stuff just because they're pushed to a point. I'm not excusing the deed that has been done but if we can just

understand why the why and that's why I'm always playing the why of my characters because I want the audience to feel for the person. If I didn't play the why of Cookie, she could have been just another sassy, smart-mouthed black woman. No one would have cared. But because I got to her why, everybody in the world could identify with her.

Yep. There was so many layers to Cookie too. You know? Do you think that the layers that we see in Janiya and Straw and her having to learn to be like, actually admit that she's not okay and not just covering things up. And you talk about your personal life,

not being a life at a party anymore and being okay with that. Do you think that that's something that after watching this movie people can take on easily? Or like, what do you think people's journey to get to that point will be after watching this movie? Everybody's journey's different. Some people find it hard to,

very difficult to deal with trauma because it's not easy going through therapy. You gotta deal with the ugly shit first before you get, there is no way to get over a storm or under a storm. You gotta go through it before you can see the sun. But the sun always shines, but you have to go through it. And that therapy journey is not for the weak. And some people, unfortunately,

spend a lifetime just dodging it. And it's unfortunate because your life can be so much better if you could just heal. Because you find yourself almost like a gerbil in a wheel if you're not, because the same shit that you think you running from, you're gonna, wherever you go, there you are. In all your problems. You can't run from yourself.

You cannot. You're not drinking, or decision to not drink anymore? How did that? Okay, so I do have my wine brand, and I love my seven daughters, but I do take breaks. For five months I had stopped drinking, because I felt like I love my seven daughters, but I do take breaks. For five months I had stopped drinking

because I felt like I needed clarity. I needed to get rid of some negative energy that was in my life that I couldn't see. Because, and not to say that I have a drinking problem or anything like that, I just think, like you fast sometimes because you need to reset your system. I did this sobriety for like five months.

And then when I have to promote my wine, and I do really like my seven daughters, but it's low in calories. And it doesn't get you like plastered. Like you know what I mean? I can sip it by the pool and still function. But I do have moments where I fast from that as well, because I just think it's great for my mental,

because I'm present. I was gonna ask what presence did it bring before you, and prepare for this role? Oh my goodness, I was able to get up in the morning. Hey. And another thing I find when I don't drink is that I can work out. You know what I mean?

Like that's one vice that I pick up. Um, and I go hard with, I mean, I'm sure you've seen some of my videos that I'm pouring into myself because I'm present. You know, I'm not numbing out. What's, what's one quiet decision to Roger you made that had the biggest impact on your career but never made headline? The biggest, say that again? What's one quiet decision you made

that had the biggest impact on your career but never made headline? Quiet decision, I mean it seems like everything I do makes the headline. Because I thought me going to Bali was gonna be quiet. And it's still, we're still talking about it. I think I talk about everything, I don't think. Cause I feel like if you have a story to tell, tell it.

I try to keep my breakup quiet. Oh, that's a good one. I might have to call you back on that one. I'm gonna have to call you back. Well, this is not even a question, but in watching Straw, I got John Q vibes. Oh my gosh. Well, the difference with John Q

is that he was very conscious in what he was doing. He was trying to save his son, and he was like, I ain't got no money the insurance is not paying so I'm gonna stick y'all up. You know? But it was like the emotion. What you would do, what links you would go through, you're a new mom for your kid. It hits you in a new way doesn't it when you become a mother and it's real like it's not about you anymore once you become a parent. You have this whole existence and being and human

that you are responsible for. And if you are a responsible person, that's a very serious job for you. Like, you know, before you were probably like, I'm a, you know, a public figure. Now it's like, I'm a mom first. You know? So it's different,'m a mom first. You know? So it's different, life is different

when you have that kind of responsibility. And you'll do anything for your child. And the hurt that they feel, you feel it 10 times more because you feel like it's my job to protect this child. And so when they're bullied, you ready to go to war because it's like no, how dare you? You know? And Jani is snapped, but she kept going,

didn't even realize. She didn't know. She had no idea she was operating outside of herself. Right, yeah. You know, we know a lot of things you do are super intentional, because like you said, you're a Virgo. So what's the most strategic thing you've ever done

that people mistook as emotional? Probably talking about the pay inequity because I have a crying about money cry. I tell you what bitch, if you want to eat you better speak the fuck up. The squeaky wheel gets fixed. Closed mouths don't get fed. And I'm going to tell you who's not complaining about their money anymore. I know that's right.

You're true. That's because after that, Hollywood started coming correct. Man, listen, they have to. Yeah, yeah. Do you wanna hit my mouth again? No. I demand that I respect.

And this is my last question. Are you happy? I'm so happy. I can't, it's like people go, you're glowing, Yes, because I am not dealing with nobody's unhealed child. I am at peace. The peace that I have been fighting for, I have it. And it has nothing to do with anybody. No other human. It's all in me.

There you go. I love you. I love you. Do you even tell the unhealed people anything anymore? No. No, because sometimes they ain't ready to hear it. I will say I hope you heal. I do say that. You know, I just, because sometimes they take that and just that they're offended by it. What you mean? I don't need that.

It's like, all right, babe. I don't care. You know, she hope I heal. Right. You know? So, it's for you to discover, sweetie. Well, thank you. Thank you so much. Very cute.

Shaw is out this Friday, Netflix. Definitely check it out. And wait till you see what we do for you to discover, sweetie. Well, thank you. Thank you so much. Draw is out this Friday, Netflix. Definitely check it out. And wait till you see what we do for you in this building. You'll see. Is it a bust? What does that mean? Yes, it is. A bust, like a sculpture.

Yes, it is. Oh. Is it? Yes. Don't put no bad ass wig on it like that. No. No. No.

No. No. Oh, my god. No. It is. But since you're here, it will be a bust. Oh, God. It is a, which since you, yes, it will be a bust. Oh, okay. Where? In the center of this table? Don't put me-

In the hall? Because people will see it whenever they walk by. Oh, okay. So you have to go by Angie's studio and come in again. Please can it look like me? Don't like- Yes, it's gonna, you'll see. Oh, you ever seen Dwayne Wade's, when Dwayne Wade's statue that don't-

No, no, no. Please don't do that to me. No, the one that DJ D-Kid's has to watch. Don't do that to me. No, no, no, no, no. When they bring that up. When they bring that up. Yeah, cause that, okay, nevermind. And I'm gonna thank you for your career. Thank you.

Not ending the interview yet. Thank you for that. Thank you. Thank you for you. Yeah, that's right. Not just your career, you the person that you are because your career has given you the platform to be out here being the mental health advocate that you are.

And I think that that work is going outlive probably anything you're doing in the acting world. Oh, I hope so. Yeah, that to outlive probably anything you're doing in the acting world. Oh, I hope so. Yeah, that to me feels like probably why God set me up to be a public figure to get to that. Absolutely. Yeah, so grateful.

Thank you so much, guys. This was beautiful. Absolutely. To Roger P. Henson, ladies and gentlemen. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. Wake that ass up. Early in the morning.

The Breakfast Club. I'm Andrea Gunning, host of the podcast Betrayal. Police Lieutenant Joel Kern used his badge to fool everyone, most of all his wife Caroline. He texted, I've ruined our lives. You're going to want to divorce me. How far would he go to cover up what he'd done? The fact that you lied is absolutely horrific. And quite frankly, I question how many other women are out there that may bring forward

allegations in the future. Listen to Betrayal on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Made for This Mountain podcast exists to empower listeners to rise above their inner struggles and face the mountain in front of them. So during Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast, focus on your emotional well-being, and then climb that mountain. You will never be able to change or grow through the thing that you refuse to identify, the thing that you refuse to say, Hey, this is my mountain. This is the struggle. Listen to Made for This Mountain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have you ever thought about going voiceover?

I'm Hope Woodard, a comedian, creator, and seeker of male validation. I'm also the girl behind voiceover, the movement that exploded in 2024. You might hear that term and think it's about celibacy, but to me voiceover is about understanding yourself outside of sex and relationships. It's flexible, it's customizable, and it's a personal process. Singleness is not a waiting room. You are actually at the party right now. Let me hear it. Listen to VoiceOver on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler, Maren Morris is here. You came out of a marriage. You came out of quote unquote country music, and you had a huge growth spurt from what I can tell. I was expanding and growing at a really fast pace. And yes, you could throw motherhood and the postpartum thing learning about myself. There were a lot of like identity crises going on.

But I realized like, I can't look back and slow down for people.