Paramount Pictures’ new film “What Men Want” starring Taraji P. Henson and Tracy Morgan hits theaters everywhere on February 8. The plot of the movie features Henson playing the role of a sports agent who is deprived of huge opportunities in a company that is overshadowed by male coworkers. Henson is on a mission to sign a basketball prospect who expected to be the top pick in the NBA Draft.
I caught up with Henson on Friday evening at the film’s screening to discuss What Men Want and we sat down for a conversation at State Farm Arena about it the next morning as well. Among the topics we discussed in the heart of Atlanta were what men really want and their similarities to women, her character in What Men Want being one of the most passionate roles in her career, working with Tracy Morgan, along with Will Packer producing another movie with her.
“I think it depicted what men really want through all of the male characters,” said Henson. “Tracy Morgan wanting his son to really succeed, seeing a dream in him, and pushing him to be his best. That’s from a father’s perspective. Richard Roundtree played the role of my father in the film, he wanted his daughter to succeed and find love. I honestly think with men, when you get down to the root, they want the same thing as women. To be loved unconditionally, someone they can trust, ant want respect. Those are things you want in a relationship.”
In the film, Henson played the role of Ali Davis. She credits her character’s circumstances for her confidence and never give up mindset.
“The circumstances that she was put in made her this fighter. She’s no different from Cookie.(From Empire show) Coming out of jail after 17 years and getting what’s hers. I think that’s every woman in the workplace. She’s fierce, strong and that’s a lot of me in there because that’s me in Hollywood. It’s me fighting for what I deserve. That’s how I identified with her.”
In 2014, Henson appeared in the film “Top 5″ with Morgan as well. I asked about the chemistry of working with him on the set of What Men Want as well and she’s been more than happy to be able to work with him as she hopes future projects together will be in the works.
“I hope we can get more stuff done together,” said Henson. “I really enjoy working with Tracy. He’s a funny guy, I love him as a person, and I’d love to continue to collaborate.”
Henson has worked with producer Will Packer in the past such as the Think Like A Man movies and No Good Deed. She also spoke on their working relationship in film making over the years and it dates back to the making of No Good Deed.
“Will brought to me No Good Deed long before Think Like A Man was even around,” said Henson. “We met here in Atlanta at the Four Seasons hotel and he brought me the script and said he can’t see anybody else doing this. He also called me saying he still wanted to do No Good Deed but he had another script for Think Like A Man too. He knew I wanted to do comedy movies. I told him I still wanted to do No Good Deed. I made a two-picture deal where I’d do Think Like A Man but we had to do production for No Good Deed in a certain amount of years.”
Flip the page to check out the full interview with Taraji P. Henson and be sure to check out What Men Want in theaters February 8.
