CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For weeks, a video of an interview with actress Taraji P. Henson has gathered millions of views, and it’s sparking discussions on two topics: Equal pay and equal treatment.
"The math ain't mathin','" Henson said in the video.
It was one quote from an interview on SiriusXM that has helped the video circulate for weeks. The star revealed that, after several iconic roles and accolades in a career spanning decades, she almost called it quits.
Her reaction is bringing back a long-standing debate over pay and treatment inequities in entertainment.
"So when you hear someone saying, ‘Oh, such and such made $10 million,' -- no, that didn’t make it to their account," she said in the interview. "Know that off the top, Uncle Sam is getting 50%. So do the math. Now we have $5 million. Your team is getting 30% ... off of what you gross, not after what Uncle Sam took. Now do the math."
It comes as report after report shows pay disparities across several types of entertainment roles.
A 2021 study suggests Black content creators make significantly less money than their white counterparts, and CNBC has reported the wage gap costs women well over $1 trillion a year. A new generation of stars is aware of these numbers.
“Am I giving the world the most fearless version of myself?" Coco Jones said in an interview with the Associated Press, reflecting on the question she said she asks herself throughout her career.
The actress and singer spoke with the Associated Press this week, with the conversation centering on her path to five Grammy nominations. It's a path she credits Henson, Kerry Washington, Angela Bassett and others, for paving.
"I just wanted to make a project that I was proud of," Jones said in the interview.
Despite the disparities, women of color and women overall are achieving -- but not without the work behind the scenes. It's work both Jones and Henson said must continue, all the while acknowledging how much that work costs.
"I’m just tired," Henson said in tears. "I’m tired."
Contact Kia Murray at kmurray@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.