Empire Star Taraji P Henson Claims Cookie Lyon Has Stolen Her Identity

Empire Star Taraji P Henson Claims Cookie
 Lyon Has Stolen Her Identity

BHR Hollywood Reports.........Taraji P. Henson's role as Cookie Lyon on the hit Fox drama "Empire" has been a gift and a curse.

Sure, she's enjoying the perks of working on a record-breaking series, but she says it's consumed her personal life

Cookie Lyon
(Taraji P Henson)

"I hate that bitch. She's stolen my identity!"My friends don’t want to talk to me unless it’s about Cookie," Henson, 44, shared with reports.

The 44-year-old actress recently sat for a THR roundtable of Emmy contenders including Jessica Lange, Lizzy Caplan, Viola Davis, Ruth Wilson and Maggie Gyllenhaal as they discussed the current climate of television.

 The conversation unexpectedly turned to Hollywood's recent interest in diversity, which included talk of our beloved Cookie.

 

Empire

When asked if Henson was worried about taking the role, she replied:

"Cookie scared the hell out of me.

Just before I got the role, I'd said, 'F— it all, I'm going back to theater.'

I felt lazy and like I needed to sharpen the tools.

So I did theater at The Pasadena Playhouse.

 Then my manager said,'You have to read this script.' I'm like, 'Hip-hop? Oh my God, what are they trying to do? Fox is going to pick this up? This isn't HBO?' And then I got nervous and started pacing the floor.

'Oh my God, Cookie is bigger than life.

Empire Cast 

You will love her or hate her.' Empire has forced people to have conversations that they were afraid
to have.

 And that is what art is supposed to do. I just didn't know it was going to shake things up this much!"

Henson has certainly reaped the benefits of playing an already iconic character.

 In May, she became the first Black woman to win Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Critics' Choice Awards.