Taraji P. Henson Talks Cookie’s Epic ‘Empire’ Shade

When it comes to slaying someone in one line, Taraji P. Henson’s Cookie Lyon on “Empire” is the best there is!

Access Hollywood’s Liz Hernandez recently spoke with the actress who is keeping GIF makers busy with her epic shady one-liners, moments of side eye and diva-licious entrances and exits!

“When I feel safe, I’m uninhibited,” the actress explained to Liz backstage during a recent visit to the “Steve Harvey Show.” “I will give you stuff and then they’ll yell, ‘Cut!’ and I’ll look around and everybody’s laughing. And I’m like, ‘What did I say?'”

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While filming a scene with Jussie Smollett (who plays her son Jamal on the hit Fox series) and Rafael de la Fuente (who played her son’s then-boyfriend Michael) the actress’ improv skills – and a well-placed Dora The Explorer joke – had the crew rolling.

“[They told me],’You said, shut up Dora!” and Lee [Daniels] will start screaming. And I’m like, ‘I said shut up Dora?’ ‘Yeah, you said shut up Dora.’ And I’m like, ‘Can I say that?’ And they’re like, ‘Keep it. Keep it!” Taraji recounted.

Taraji P. Henson on ‘Empire’ (Fox)

And when Cookie confronted her youngest son Hakeem’s much older girlfriend, played by Naomi Campbell, the actress revealed that she unloaded on her – something “Empire” executive producer and series writer Danny Strong loved.

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“I told her [that] her eggs were old. She couldn’t give me no grandkids. You’ve got old dried up Benjamin Button eggs,” she said with a laugh. “They yelled, ‘Cut.’ Danny [Strong] came running [over]… he was like, ‘Oh my God, oh my God! Keep it all! Keep saying it! Just go, go! Go back! Action!’ And he just let it go.”

The actress explained that “Empire” is bringing a cable sensibility to network TV.

“People started running to cable because they don’t want to see safe…because the world is not safe,” she said. “We want reality. We want stuff that’s going to make us feel a kind of way inside.”

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As for the show’s record-breaking ratings, Taraji wants even more!

“I’m a bit aggressive when it comes to things. I want ‘Mork & Mindy’ numbers,” she told Liz. “Sixty million!”

“Empire” airs Wednesday at 9 PM on Fox.

— Jesse Spero

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