Taraji P. Henson Fired "Empire" Team, 50 Cent Has Thoughts

Taraji P. Henson has revealed she fired her entire team for failing to capitalize on the success of her TV show “Empire” and rapper 50 Cent loved it.

After starring as Cookie Lyon on all six seasons of the drama from 2015 to 2020, the actress wanted to make the most of her character’s popularity – but her team didn’t follow through. While speaking to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in a recent interview, Taraji named “firing everybody after Cookie” as the best business move she’s made in her career.

“Everybody had to f###### go,” she asserted. “Where is my deal? Where’s my commercial? Cookie was at the top of the fashion game. Where is my endorsement? What did you have set up for after this?

“That’s why you all haven’t seen me in so long. They had nothing set up.”

While Taraji’s team allegedly didn’t organize promotional opportunities surrounding the Cookie character, they did pitch another series in the “Empire” franchise.

“All they wanted was another Cookie show, and I said, ‘I’ll do it, but it has to be right. The people deserve, she’s too beloved for y’all to f### it up,'” Taraji recalled. “And so, when they didn’t get it right, I was like, ‘Well, that’s it,’ and they had nothing else.”

She remembered telling the team, “You’re all f###### fired.”

50 Cent has been making overtures to work with Taraji over the last few days. After the actress broke down in tears about the paygap between black actresses in Hollywood, 50 offered to work with the “Color Purple” star.

After getting wind of Taraji’s bold move to fire her team, 50 took to IG to react to the latest headline news surrounding the actress.

“They dropped the ball f### em @tarajiphenson I’m ready to work let’s get it !” 50 Cent said.

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Elsewhere in the interview, Taraji admitted she was hesitant about firing her team beforehand due to insecurity.

“It took me years to get there,” she said. “You are the prize. Don’t you ever forget that.”

She advised other actors, “You are the talent. You are their check. Don’t ever forget that. They work for you. If they are not… somebody else will do it. I stayed with the same team for years.”