Viola & Taraji:

Viola & Taraji:

Life Beyond the Oscars

Find out what Tyler Perry, Meryl Streep and Whoopi Goldberg say about these talented actresses. Academy Award-nominees Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson have both proven that when you know your worth, no one can take it from you. At the 81st annual Oscar ceremony, the two found themselves waiting to win the same award for best supporting actress. While the audience applauded for Penelope Cruz, they both shared in a symbolic moment that still remains dear. “We looked right at each other, we connected,” says Henson, talking about when she blew Davis a kiss during the commercial break. “We had to have that moment, just for each other, to let each other know, ‘You know what? It’s still all good.’”

That’s how it works in Black Hollywood. Your triumph is my triumph. Not that there aren’t moments of extreme competitiveness. After all, both Davis and Henson say, there isn’t an abundance of work for Black actresses. Yet, the competition is really fierce. When auditioning for a role, Davis could be walking in while Nia Long is walking out. Or Alfre Woodard could be exiting while Henson is strolling in. The problem, some actresses say, is that these roles tend to be slightly flat, with no real depth in the characters.

In an exclusive photo shoot for Ebony magazine’s May issue, Davis and Henson talk candidly about various challenges that continue to face Black actresses. “Black directors really don’t offer me movies,” says Davis, who takes no offense to this. “Most of the work I do is really in predominantly White films. That’s just how it works.”