It seems like every other month we’re writing some update on Taraji’s latest career move. And this month is no different. While she’s currently out promoting her upcoming action film, Proud Mary, the news of her latest project with former collaborator John Singleton just dropped.
According to Global Grind, the “Empire” actress is set to produce The Emmett Till Story and star as Mamie Till, the mother of the slain 14-year-old from Chicago. Till was visiting family in Mississippi when he was brutally murdered by a group of White men after they accused him of making a pass at a White woman.
In an interview with Global Grind, Taraji said “I am producing ‘The Emmett Till Story’ and am starring as Mamie Till. That’s one [project] that I’ve been passionate about since Trayvon Martin was murdered.”
Henson confirmed that Singleton will direct.
Taraji’s Emmett Till story is just one of three projects that will focus on Till’s life and murder. Will Smith and Jay Z have reportedly been working on a miniseries with HBO and Whoopi Goldberg is said to be producing and directing a feature film about Till.
Personally, I can wait to see what they do with all of them.
Henson’s career is proof that the possibilities are endless. Speaking recently about Proud Mary, which she is also producing, Taraji said that she enjoyed feeling like the Black Laura Croft throughout shooting. Still, while there was a lot of fun to be had, the stakes got higher when she ended up crashing a Maserati.
Henson said she understands the importance of on-set safety procedures. During a recent interview on Good Morning America, Henson said:
“I don’t think people really realize how much work goes into an action film. It’s so physical, and we often hear tales of people dying, and I’ll tell you why: because you’re in the 13th hour, you’ve been working all day, and you get to the end of the day and you still have this hugely dangerous stunt to pull off, and people are tired! And sometimes if fatigue sets in or you miscount a step, it can go really bad (sic).”
Henson’s experience crashing a car comes months after two stunt workers were killed last year. John Bernecker died after falling from a balcony on the set of “The Walking Dead.” And we reported about motorcycle stuntwoman Joi Harris’ death on the set of the Deadpool sequel in Vancouver, Canada.
As for her accident, Taraji said exhaustion caused her to crash a Maserati sports car into a fire hydrant. Reports estimated that the collision would cost $12,000 to repair. Henson, who was not injured in the accident, said that the money was the first thing that came to her mind.
“Man, let me tell you – if I was just the actress, I would’ve been like, ‘Oh, was that me?’ (But as an executive producer), I was just like, ‘How much is this gonna cost us?’ I benched myself! I was like (scolding myself), ‘Go to your trailer!’”
Even with the incident, Henson said she enjoyed making the film.
“I just felt like a Black Lara Croft, that’s what I kept saying! I had the pony tail and the combat boots, it was that (part) when she really goes to war, she has… a navy blue motorcycle jacket and these motorcycle pants, and I just felt like, ‘Dang, I could really hurt someone just with my outfit!’”