Taraji P. Henson looked back at the iconic role that got away.
The award-winning actress, 56, alongside her “Why Did I Get Married Again?” co-stars Tasha Smith and Shannon Leal, sat down with SheKnows for a game of Common Grounds.
During the episode, the ladies were quizzed on how well they know each other, with Henson quickly answering a question about the film Leal starred in alongside two famous musicians: “Dreamgirls.”
What Role Did Taraji P. Henson Audition For and Not Get?
GettyIn the 2006 film, Leal played Michelle Morris, the singer who replaced Jennifer Hudson’s Effie White and joined Beyoncé’s Deena Jones in the musical group The Dreamettes.
Henson then revealed that she had also auditioned for the film, although she later clarified that she was actually in the running for a different role.
“I auditioned for that role,” Henson initially said, before correcting herself. “Actually, I didn’t. I auditioned for Lorrell.”
Actress Anika Noni Rose ultimately landed the role of Lorell, the third member of The Dreamettes.
“Dreamgirls” starred Beyoncé as Deena Jones, Jennifer Hudson as Effie White, Anika Noni Rose as Lorrell Robinson, and Sharon Leal as Michelle Morris.
GettyThe “Dreamgirls” audition isn’t the only role that got away from Henson. In 2015, the actress revealed to W Magazine that she auditioned for the role of Precious in the critically acclaimed film of the same name, per Fox News.
“Lee wanted me for the thin, pretty teacher in ‘Precious,'” she reveals, referring to “Empire” director Lee Daniels. “And I was like, ‘Well, I want to play Precious — because that’s the role in this piece.’ Lee thought I was nuts. I was like, ‘Look, they turned Charlize Theron into a monster! I could be this girl!’ When I think about that now, it was such a Cookie move.”
That role ultimately went to Gabourey Sidibe, who earned an Oscar nomination for it.
Taraji P. Henson’s Other Iconic Roles
GettyMissing out on Lorrell didn’t slow Henson down for long. Just a year after the “Dreamgirls” casting, the actress landed a breakout role as Shug in “Hustle & Flow.”
Henson also portrayed Queenie in David Fincher’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which later earned her an Academy Award nomination.
The actress went on to play Cookie Lyon on “Empire,” which earned her the Best TV Drama Actress award at the Golden Globes. Henson also starred in “Hidden Figures” and “The Color Purple.”
More recently, Henson played the villainous Miss Hannigan in NBC’s “Annie Live!,” delivered a dramatic performance in Tyler Perry’s “Straw”, and returned to the stage in August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” on Broadway. She’s also reprising her role as Roselyn in Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married?” franchise.
