Taraji P. Henson reveals she auditioned to star as Precious

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Taraji P. Henson is simply slaying on the new cover of W magazine.

The Empire star talks about being one “tough Cookie” and discusses how she’s come to be the reigning queen on primetime TV.

Henson reveals that she surprisingly didn’t get offered more feature film roles after being nominated for an Academy Award in 2008 for her acclaimed work in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. 

In fact, the 44-year-old actress says she auditioned to play the lead role in Lee Daniels’ 2009 drama Precious, a part that ultimately went to Gabourey Sidibe. 

“Lee wanted me for the thin, pretty teacher in Precious,” she reveals. “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.”

Henson ultimately stumbled upon the role of the lifetime when she was cast to star in Empire some years ago.

Follow theGrio.com’s Entertainment Editor Chris Witherspoon on Twitter @WitherspoonC.