US actress snubs SA
After award-winning US actress Taraji P Henson called an advert for an upcoming women’s event in Sandton “false”, the International Women In Media Conference has explained they paid her and have a contract to feature her as a guest speaker.
Firm 21st Century Media had said the event “serves as a platform to empower and inspire media professionals, entrepreneurs, and budding media moguls on how to turn their passion into profit”.
Bonang Matheba subsequently announced her withdrawal from a bill that also supposedly included Connie Ferguson, US megastar actress Halle Berry and US singer Ashanti.
Henson said on her Twitter account she was included in a false advert and asked that her name be removed from it.
In a statement on Wednesday, the 21st Century Group said it was “highly concerned and deeply disappointed by the recent social media posts made by Taraji Henson wherein she alleges not having knowledge of the International Women in Media Conference scheduled to take place on September 5, 2018 at the Sandton Convention Centre”.
The group claimed prior arrangements were made with Henson’s agents, the Superstar Agency, “whereby a contract was concluded between 21st Century Group and the latter, only upon confirmation of Ms Henson’s attendance at the event.
“It was our reasonable expectation, as is the normal protocol in these situations, that the agency had been liaising with Ms Henson’s manager.
“A deposit was also paid to Superstar Agency as a matter of enforcing and complying with the said contract on the part of 21st Century Group. Written confirmation was received by 21st Century Group from Ms Henson’s agents of her attendance and participation at the event.”
Now, 21st Century said, it had now handed the matter over to its New York legal team to investigate whether there was miscommunication between Henson’s agent and manager, “or whether this was a deliberate attempt to breach the contract that was signed by the respective parties”.
The group said its initiative was not intended to generate an income or profit and Henson had been “identified as one of the key participants as she is globally admired for her strengths as a woman in the [media] industry.
“The [invitation only] event will, however, still go on as scheduled.” – Citizen reporter
We are deeply disappointed by the recent social media posts made by Taraji P Henson. 21st Century Group