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Taraji P. Henson's Red Carpet Pics Are Proof She's Truly Ageless: See From 2001 to Now
For Fight Night actress Taraji P. Henson, who turns 54 in September, the key to looking good is all about being confident in what she's wearing, both on the red carpet and off.
Taraji P. Henson will always be that girl.
The Fight Night actress has consistently shown up on Best Dressed lists since appearing on her first red carpet in the early 'aughts. And though her style has changed over the years, Henson continues to show up and show out in fabulous outfits.
So, what's the key to Henson's red carpet success? Well, Henson says it's all about being confident, regardless of your age.
"I wanna be the representation for women that your sexy, it never dies until you're in the box," she shared in an interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
"I decided I wasn’t going to allow the world, men of this industry, to dictate how I live my life and how I age. I’m going to turn 50 just like I turned 30, except, you know, my knees are a little different," Henson, then 51, continued. "But I’m not going to buy into ‘my career is over,’ or ‘life for me is over,’ or ‘my sexy is over,’ or ‘I shouldn’t wear this.’ I’m going to do what I feel."
See how Taraji P. Henson's style has evolved over the years in these throwback photos.
Taraji P. Henson at the 2001 Baby Boy Premiere
One of Henson's first lead roles was in Baby Boy, a movie starring The Fast & the Furious' Tyrese Gibson as Jody, a young Black man growing up in South Central Los Angeles, California. In the film, also starring Snoop Dogg and Ving Rhames, Henson played Yvette, Jody's girlfriend and the mother of his unborn child.
For the film's red carpet event, she sported a two-piece black-and-tan outfit with plenty of straps and cut-outs.
RELATED: How Taraji P. Henson Made It in Hollywood as a Single Mother
Henson recently said that she went off-script when auditioning for the role, going so far as to jump on Gibson's back during the scene.
"And that’s how Jody and Yvette were born," she told Elle.
Taraji P. Henson at the 2001 Rush Hour 2 Premiere
Henson wasn't a star in the 2001 film Rush Hour 2, but she sure caught the attention of photographers while walking the red carpet for the movie, which stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. She struck a fun pose while wearing heels and a '70s-inspired wrap dress, as well as a flower in her hair.
Nine years later, Henson would go on to act opposite Chan in the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid, also starring Jaden Smith.
Taraji P. Henson at the 2002 BET Awards
Following the success of Baby Boy, Henson made an appearance at the 2002 BET Awards in Los Angeles, wearing purple pants with a black top. Fast forward 20 years and Henson herself would host the 2022 awards ceremony.
For Henson, hosting the show was an incredible honor as it brings together people from across the Black community.
"There are performers, visual artists, politicians, community leaders, educators—you name it, they’re there. It’s a great night for us to celebrate each other and lift each other up because a lot of times we don’t get celebrated in this way. So this is a safe space to really inspire each other," she reflected when speaking with Essence in June.
RELATED: Meet Peacock's Fight Night Cast And Their Real-Life Inspirations
Taraji P. Henson at the 2002 The Hill Harper Show Screening
Henson's 2002 outfit, comprised of maroon low-rise leather pants and a black corset top, is proof that trends may come and go but fashion never fades.
And the good news is, Henson could probably find this same outfit in her closet. The actress previously revealed that she keeps everything she's worn, especially if it was picked out for a special event.
"One day I'll be famous enough or important enough where people will want my sh-t like Elizabeth Taylor's," she told Harper's Bazaar.
Taraji P. Henson at the 2003 Matrix Reloaded Premiere
There was a four-year gap between Henson's role in Baby Boy and the popular movie Hustle & Flow, during which Henson took small roles in other projects like The Division. While Henson, shown above in a sexy latex coat and fishnet tights, was discouraged by the lack of growth in her career, she continued to believe in herself.
"I've just been told that I've had a lot of false starts in my career. You know, everybody thought [my big break] was going to be Baby Boy, and then it wasn't. And then it was going to be Hustle & Flow. But I never relied on one project to do it for me. I just wanted to do work that will be talked about long after I'm gone. I studied greats that came before me and I just want to be a great that the young ones study," she reflected when speaking with Refinery 29 in 2019.
Taraji P. Henson at 2009 Oscars
The year 2009 was a big one for Henson, who received her first-ever Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Queenie in the 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Though Penelope Cruz took the award, Henson has said that being nominated was one of her proudest moments.
"This was such a special project for me. I never thought that they would cast me," she reflected in her interview with Elle.
For the special event, she wore a strapless white gown with an eye-catching statement necklace.
Taraji P. Henson at 2013 Tribeca Film Festival
By 2013, Henson, seen here at the year's Tribeca Film Festival in a long-sleeve printed minidress, had already appeared in the star-studded movie Think Like a Man and was gearing up for the film's sequel Think Like a Man, Too. These movies offered Henson a fun opportunity to get together with co-stars Gabrielle Union, Meagan Good, and Regina Hall.
"They’re all good-hearted, fun, and just fucking talented. And then you put us all in Vegas for the second one? Come on now. We had such an amazing time. It didn’t even feel like work," Henson recently told Elle.
Taraji P. Henson at 2015 Emmys
One of the highlights of Henson's career is undoubtedly her role as Cookie Lyon in the series Empire, which also starred her Fight Night co-star Terrence Howard. The show was massively popular and won Henson a Golden Globe and Critics' Choice Award. She was also nominated for three Emmy Awards during her tenure on Empire (You can see her attending the 2015 Emmys in a dramatic black gown with chain straps above.)
Her character was so adored by fans, in fact, there were talks of creating a spin-off show around the figure. However, Henson has since revealed that she nixed the idea, telling the SAG-AFTRA foundation in an interview, "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—k it up.’ And so, when they didn’t get it right, I was like, ‘Well, that’s it,’ and they had nothing else."
Taraji P. Henson at the 2017 Oscars
In 2017, Henson attended the 89th Annual Academy Awards in support of the 2016 film Hidden Figures, which was nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. She stunned in a dark formfitting gown and jewels.
Though the cast and crew left the ceremony without an Oscar, they won multiple NAACP Image Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast.
In the movie, inspired by true events, Henson played Katherine Johnson, a female mathematician who worked for NASA during the space race.
"She’s very special to me, and it’s one of my most beloved roles of my career," Henson told Elle of the role, which earned her a BET Award for Best Actress.
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Taraji P. Henson at 2021 Met Gala
For the 2021 Met Gala's Americana theme, Henson found inspiration in musical artist Diana Ross.
"Diana Ross is iconic. That’s who I grew up wanting to be," the actress told The Cut. “She’s everything that embodies Hollywood, glam, and fashion. Growing up in the hood and watching her gave me something to aspire to be.”
To achieve Ross' look, Henson wore a sequined black jumpsuit from Jeremy Scott's Moschino and diamonds from Roberto Coin. Her hair and makeup also drew inspiration from the disco era, with her beauty team adding tons of volume to her curls and painting her lids in a shimmery blue eyeshadow.
Taraji P. Henson at the 2024 Governors' Awards
For the 2024 Governors Awards, Henson stepped out in a glamorous gown by Valdrin Sahiti and jewels from David Webb.
The award ceremony saw Angela Bassett receive an honorary Oscar for her work in film, a moment that was celebrated by Henson on Instagram. "What a beautiful night!!!! [Angela Bassett] (2nd slide) got her flowers and moved the crowd with her beautiful speech. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Thank you [the Academy] for giving her her flowers!!!" Henson captioned her post.
Taraji P. Henson at the 2024 SAG Awards
Henson was named to the Best Dressed list after wearing a stunning strapless dress from Giambattista Valli Couture to the 2024 SAG Awards. She accessorized the glamorous ensemble with a Serpenti necklace from Bulgari, People reported.
The actress was joined at the ceremony by The Color Purple co-stars Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Halle Bailey, and Whoopi Goldberg. The cast was nominated for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture, but ultimately lost out to Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.
Taraji P. Henson at the 2024 BET Awards
Henson wowed the 2024 BET Awards audiences with seven different styles. She finished the show in a sequined bodysuit from Rahul Mishra.
The actress previously hosted the BET Awards in 2021 and 2022. During her 2021 gig as emcee, Henson used her outfits to honor other Black icons, including Diana Ross.
"Everything connects to a Black woman that Taraji is inspired by or looks up to," her stylist, Jason Bolden, told Vogue at the time.
To see more of Taraji P. Henson's fashion, be sure to watch new episodes of Fight Night every Thursday on Peacock.
