Taraji P. Henson is shutting down rumors that she’s feuding with Oprah Winfrey.
The rumors started when a video shared by photojournalist Mickmicknyc went viral, causing many fans to believe it was evidence of tension between the two.
The clip was filmed while the couple were busy promoting The Color Purple – a film in which Taraji stars and Oprah produced – atop the Empire State Building in New York earlier this month.
A TikTok user named openmichero analyzed the couple’s body language and claimed that Taraji was ‘trying to hold back tears’ while posing for a photo with Oprah and her co-stars Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks.
They also said that Oprah and Taraji were displaying ‘closed’ body language and accused the TV icon of deliberately ‘not looking’ at the Oscar nominee.
But Taraji took to Instagram to support Oprah – who she called a ‘lighthouse’ who has given her nothing but ‘unrelenting support’.
Taraji P. Henson is shutting down rumors that she’s feuding with Oprah Winfrey
She included a photo of herself and Oprah smiling and standing side-by-side during the same Empire State Building press junket.
‘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,’ Taraji’s caption began.
She then made reference to a recent interview she gave, where she shared her frustrations at making far less than some of her white co-stars in past projects.
‘Thank you for responding to my message with the compassion, understanding and support that I’ve received,’ she continued.
Taraji then shifted focus to the speculation around her and Oprah’s relationship.
‘With that being said… Ms. OPRAH has been nothing less than a steady and solid beacon of light to ALL OF THE CAST of The Color Purple!!!’ she wrote.
‘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!’
Taraji thanked the legendary talk show host for helping center Black female voices in the entertainment industry.
She included a photo of herself and Oprah smiling and standing side-by-side during the same Empire State Building press junket
‘It took ONE CALL… ONE CONVERSATION… and ONE DECISION MAKING BLACK WOMAN to make me feel heard. Thank You Ms. @OPRAH For ALL That You Do,’ the Empire star concluded.