She’s nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Abbott Elementary.
With her latestEmmy nomination,Taraji P. Hensonis getting the last laugh.
“I literally didn’t expect anything,” Henson tells EW of taking on the part.
Quinta Brunson and Taraji P. Henson on ‘Abbott Elementary’.Gilles Mingasson/ABC
“I just wanted to go and be funny and have fun on that show.
I’m such a huge fan of the show and of [creator]Quinta Brunson.
I’m very proud of her and what she’s been able to accomplish.”
Backstage, Henson told Brunson that she’d love to come onAbbottif the occasion ever presented itself.
“I said, ‘What are you talking about?
‘Cause it’s pretty massive right now.’
Sure enough, like a month later she called.
So I’m just grateful to be seen as the comedic actress that I came out here to be.
I’m like, ‘God, they finally see me.'”
Henson quite literally did not expect the nomination, as she forgot Emmy noms were even being announced Wednesday.
she says with a laugh.
He was like, ‘Congratulations on your Emmy nod.’
And I was like, ‘Huh?
Oh yeah, duh.
It’s that time of the year.'"
“I said, ‘Well, who do you think she gets it from?’
She’s wearing everything the young girls are wearing.’
That’s when we got that colorful outfit that I wore.
But it just made sense.
She still goes to the clubs, she’s still dancing on tables.”
“I said, ‘If we’re going to do nails, we have todo nails.'”
“That’s the moral of the story,” Henson adds.
“Just have fun, and the other stuff will come.”
The75th Primetime Emmy Awardsare currently set to air Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT onFox.
