Taraji P. Henson to Play Hit Woman in Thriller ‘Proud Mary’
“Hidden Figures” and “Empire” star Taraji P. Henson has closed a deal to star in Screen Gems’ thriller “Proud Mary.”
John Stewart Newman and Christian Swegal wrote the script, and Paul Schiff and Tai Duncan are producing the film.
Henson will play a hit woman whose life is upturned when she meets a young boy who awakens the maternal instinct she never knew she had.
Although a director isn’t currently on board, the studio is hoping to get production off the ground by April.
Henson has been busy both on the small and big screen in the past year. Her hit ABC series “Empire,” which has earned the actress two Emmy nominations for her role as matriarch Cookie Lyon, was renewed for a fourth season by Fox at Wednesday’s TCA panel.
On the film side, her drama “Hidden Figures” opened to No. 1 at the box office this past weekend, unseating three-time champ “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” with $22.8 million at the domestic box office. “Hidden Figures,” about three African-American women who helped win the space race, is up for a best ensemble at the upcoming SAG awards.
Henson is repped by UTA and Vincent Cirrincione Associates. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
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