Race + TV: Taraji P. Henson Isn’t A Person Of Interest On Her Own Show

By TV Roundtable Member Kendra James

Did anyone else know that Emmy and Oscar nominee Taraji P Henson is the third lead this season on Abrams’ and CBS’ new thriller Person of Interest?

No? Don’t be ashamed, because you certainly wouldn’t know given the advertising. The New York billboards feature the white male leads, Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson, and that same poster is the one you’ll see featured in magazines and papers all over, including this morning’s free Metro in NYC. As far as I was concerned these two men were the show’s only leads. I had no idea that an Oscar and Emmy nominated actress was the female star.

When TV Guide gave more of the same on the cover of their latest issue, Taraji took to her Facebook fanpage to speak to her fans:

WOW!!!! TV Guide is NOT including me on the cover with my cast members……..I am the female lead of a 3 member cast and I’m not included on the cover!!!!!! Do you see the shit I have to deal with in this business…..I cram to understand!!!!

The post was removed later and replaced with:

I swear you guys keep my spirit lifted cause it ain’t easy AT ALL for a sister in Hollywood. Your love is God sent!!!! Thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart. Wanted to tell you all this on live TV at the Emmys (if I’d won) but……oh well. Muah!!!!!

Normally, I’m the first to applaud CBS for their diverse casting on their procedural series. CSI, Criminal Minds, Cold Case, Hawaii Five-0, and NCIS: LA each feature(d) staring men and women of color. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior was also led by Forest Whitaker before being cancelled. However, the omission of an Academy Award nominated lead actress from an entire advertising campaign is more than an accidental oversight.

Both Taraji and Forest are the latest actors of color to follow in a trend I have mixed feelings about. While award winning and popular white film actors often make guest spots on network television  you don’t often find them leading shows outside of HBO (and that’s not television, it’s HBO). Award winning Actors of color, on the other hand, seem to be making the transition from their Oscar nominated and critically acclaimed movies and parts to network and cable television. Forest Whitaker, Sandra Oh (Greys Anatomy), Terrence Howard (Law and Order: LA), Lawrence Fishburne (CSI), Viola Davis (United States of Tara, one season), Djimon Hounson (Alias, recurring role) and Don Cheadle (House of Lies), come immediately to mind. Out of the group Sandra is the only one not nominated for Oscar, though she does have a SAG to her name.

While each of these talents certainly deserve to work, why is it they’re taking jobs on network and cable television their white counterparts never would, especially if they’re not going to get the exposure? (Another question to muse on: why are so any of them men?) If we look at the year Taraji was nominated for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, we’ll see that she was nominated against Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Marisa Tomei, and Penelope Cruz. Of the five who are the two who’ve had recurring television work since? Viola and Taraji. The same thing happens if we look at Forrest Whitaker, who was nominated against Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gossling, and Peter O’Toole.

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