Taraji P. Henson is an American actress and author, best known for her roles in film and television. She gained widespread recognition for her performance as Cookie Lyon in the hit series Empire, which aired from 2015 to 2020. Henson has received several awards for her work, including a Critics' Choice Television Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Born on September 11, 1970, in Washington, D.C., Henson studied at Howard University, where she earned a degree in theater. She made her film debut in Baby Boy (2001) and has since appeared in various successful movies, including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Hidden Figures.