Oprah Winfrey reacts to ‘disturbing’ Taraji P. Henson feud rumors: ‘Why is my name in this conversation?’
Oprah Winfrey refused to turn red regarding “disturbing” rumors surrounding the cast of “The Color Purple.”
On the Golden Globes 2024 red carpet, the 69-year-old media mogul spoke to “CBS Mornings” host Gayle King about the alleged beef between herself and one of the film’s leading ladies, Taraji P. Henson.
Speculation that there was trouble between Winfrey, who is one of the producers of “The Color Purple,” and Henson, 53, began when the two appeared to have an icy exchange during a promotional appearance at the Empire State Building.
“It’s so disturbing to me,” Winfrey said. “Why is my name even in this conversation? Why is my name in this conversation? ‘Cause I have just been the champion for everybody.
“The thing that is so upsetting to me is that … something went viral where they’re analyzing us on top of the Empire State Building. We were cold! It was cold,” she continued. “That was the fourth thing we had done that day.”
“So that was one thing, trailers were another thing, food was another thing. And everything got handled.”
Winfrey maintained she always strived to accommodate the film’s cast, which includes Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Halle Bailey and Ciara.
“I heard that Taraji was upset because she had been asked to [use] a rental car,” Winfrey told King, 69. “I personally called Toby Emmerich, who was at the time the head of Warner Bros., and he said, ‘Well, that means we have to do cars for everybody.’ And I said, ‘Then we do cars for everybody. And if it’s necessary, I will pay for the cars myself.’ He goes, ‘Well, we don’t want you to do that.'”
Winfrey spoke more on the topic that evening when she spoke to Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazer.
“I would just like to say about this whole Taraji thing … I heard I was trending yesterday,” Winfrey explained. “People are saying that I was not supporting Taraji. Taraji will tell you herself that I’ve been the greatest champion of this film. Championing not only the behind the scenes projection but also everything that everybody needed.”
Winfrey then seemingly touched upon Henson’s recent SiriusXM interview with Gayle King, where Henson claimed she’s “being paid a fraction of the cost” of what she should be making in Hollywood.
“Whenever I heard that there was something that someone needed, I’m not in charge of the budget because that’s Warner Brothers, you know, that’s the way the studio system works,” Winfrey explained. “We as producers, everybody gets their salary, everybody is negotiated by your team. And so, whenever I heard there was an issue or there was a problem, there was a problem with a car or the problem with their food, I would step in and do whatever I could to make it right. And I believe that she would even vouch for that and say that is true.”
Winfrey maintained that she has nothing but love for Henson.
“I am all for everybody being the greatest and rising to meet the rising of their own life,” she continued. There’s no validity to there being a thing between Taraji and I.”
“The Color Purple” debuted in theaters on Christmas day.
