Mental health work wins actress praise
‘Empire’ actress Taraji P. Henson was honored for her advocacy.
“Empire” star Taraji P. Henson has enjoyed wealth, celebrity, a Golden Globe win and an Academy Award nomination. But behind the scenes, she has battled anxiety and depression.
On Thursday, the 50-year-old actress and filmmaker — who has spoken publicly and powerfully about her private struggles — was honored by the Boston-based Ruderman Family Foundation for her work to end the stigma around mental illness.
“It’s OK to not be OK,” Henson, the latest recipient of the Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion, told The Associated Press via email. “Tell someone. Your vulnerability is actually your strength.”
Henson was nominated for an Oscar for 2008’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” She also won critical acclaim for 2016’s “Hidden Figures,” about three African American mathematicians at NASA who played a key role in the early days of the U.S. space program, and won a 2016 Golden Globe for her role as Cookie Lyon in television’s “Empire” series.
In 2018, the Washington, D.C., native started the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, named for her father, to stop those with mental illness from being stigmatized — especially Blacks, who she says are less likely to seek treatment.
This year, with the coronavirus pandemic complicating people’s mental health struggles, Henson’s foundation has been helping African Americans — who’ve been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 — access free online therapy.
Positive tests halt ‘Jurassic’ filming
Filming on the new “Jurassic World” movie at Pinewood Studios in the U.K. has been suspended for two weeks because of COVID-19 cases on set. Director Colin Trevorrow tweeted Wednesday that there were “a few” positive tests for the virus. He added that the individuals tested negative shortly after, but that they would be pausing for two weeks regardless to adhere to safety protocols.
Virus cuts Wallen’s ‘SNL’ spot
Morgan Wallen, a country musician who was scheduled to perform on “Saturday Night Live” this weekend, said Wednesday evening he would not be appearing on the show, citing its coronavirus protocols.
Wallen made the announcement in an Instagram post after he was seen in videos posted to social media last weekend, showing him celebrating in Tuscaloosa after a University of Alabama football victory. In these clips, which appeared on TikTok and elsewhere, Wallen is seen drinking shots, kissing fans and mingling in groups while not wearing a mask or following other social-distancing guidelines.
In the video he posted to Instagram on Wednesday, Wallen said, “I got a call from the show letting me know that I will no longer be able to play, and that’s because of COVID protocols, which I understand. I’m not positive for COVID, but my actions this past weekend were pretty shortsighted, and they have obviously affected my long-term goals and my dreams. I respect the show’s decision because I know that I put them in jeopardy, and I take ownership for this.”