Taraji P. Henson’s next movie role is almost here, and the internet has some thoughts. The “Empire” alum is set to star in “Straw,” Tyler Perry’s latest film set to hit Netflix this June. The film sees Henson as a single mother whose “world unravels” in chaos. Sound familiar?
“Pushed to the brink by a world that seems indifferent to her existence, she’s forced to confront impossible choices in a society that offers her no safety net,” the official Netflix description reads. While it certainly is exciting to witness another collaboration between Henson and Perry (the two have worked together on 2018's “Acrimony,” “I Can Do Bad All By Myself” in 2009, and “The Family That Preys” the year before), the internet is not as excited as one would expect. Black Twitter is calling out Perry for seemingly creating the same ole tropes and archetypes of characters he leans on with every project.
Perry took to X with a post of stills from the film. He wrote, “IM IN MY BAG YALL!! This movie is so good. I mean so good! I can’t wait for y’all to see it. #STRAW on @netflix June 6th.” The snapshots include a makeup-less and sad-looking Henson sitting on a bed, carrying a baby in another, and her looking downcast through a window wearing a work uniform.
Fans replied directly to his post with their unhappy two cents.
One user wrote, “You don’t wanna see taraji happy sometimes?” Another shared similar sentiments, writing, “I’m tired of them having Taraji looking sad, stressed and worn down in every movie.”
Others are defending both Henson and Perry, expressing that at least Perry pays his actors their worth and gives them work. “It’s always black people hating on black people,” one user wrote.
“Tyler Perry the only one that pays Taraji & other black actors their worth . & clearly drama sells or Tyler Perry wouldn’t be in the position he’s in now,” another X user said while another added, “ Tyler is the only one booking black actresses! She has bills to pay and y’all will hate watch it anyway.”
It was also revealed that they shot “Straw,” a feature-length film, in just four days. “A struggling single mother” and “shot in four days” ... well at least Tyler Perry is committed to the bit!” one user quipped online.
“Straw” is set to hit Netflix in just a few weeks, and we’re sure the viewers will once again take to the internet with their thoughts on his latest film, as they always do. At the same time, Perry’s latest original series, “Divorced Sistas,” will premiere on BET, which some viewers are equally side-eyeing online.
Despite the backlash, Perry remains completely unbothered. “I don’t take in the criticism,” Perry told USA TODAY back in December while addressing the lack of writers on his projects. “Because if people understood why there was no writers or if they understood what I had to deal with, if they understood what I had to endure... So if people really understood the backstory of a lot of things, I don’t think there would be as much criticism as there would be an understanding.”
He also addressed haters on KeKe Palmer’s podcast last summer: “Great, have your opinion… I live from this seat tempered, measured, patient, prayerful, and disciplined. [...] You got to drown all of that out. If you let somebody talk you out of a place that God has put you in, you are going to find yourself in hell. I know for a fact that what I’m doing is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing, because for every critic, I have thousands of emails from people saying, ‘This [movie] changed my life.’ ”