Short Biography

Taraji Penda Henson (born September 11, 1970) is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in the films Baby Boy (2001), Hustle & Flow (2005), and Four Brothers (2005), and was a cast member on Lifetime Television`s The Division.

Henson was born in Washington, DC, and attended Oxon Hill High School in Oxon Hill, MD. Henson`s first and middle names are of Swahili origin, meaning "hope" and "love", respectively. She is a relative of Matthew Henson, co-discoverer of the North Pole. Henson, who worked as a cruise ship entertainer and at the Pentagon before becoming an actress, holds a degree in theater arts from Howard University. Henson made her singing debut in Hustle & Flow; she provided the vocals for the Three 6 Mafia track "It`s Hard Out Here for a Pimp". The song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2006, giving Three 6 the distinction of becoming the first Black hip-hop act to win in the category. Henson performed the song at the Oscars on March 5, 2006 with the group.

She`ll become a full cast member on Boston Legal mid-fourth season.

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