‘Empire’ Star Taraji P. Henson Reacts to Viola Davis’ History-Making Emmy Win

Empire star Taraji P. Henson reiterated the fact that she has nothing but respect and admiration for Emmy winner and friend Viola Davis on today’s The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The actresses were up against one another for the title of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, with Viola taking home the trophy for her role as Analiese Keating in How to Get Away with Murder, a moment that Henson described as “bittersweet”.

“It was bittersweet,”she told Ellen. “We all want to make history and be important to society and everything, but then I thought about it. I was like, ‘It’s 2015 and we have a black president and no black woman has ever won. This is weird.’ So when I went into it and I knew I was being nominated alongside Viola, I just thought to myself, ‘God, just please give it to one of us so we will never have to say that again. Let’s just break this barrier down and keep on pushing.’

She also went on to say she felt that everything happened on Sunday’s Emmys just as they were meant to.

“I feel like the universe needed to hear that message last night,” said Henson. “Had I won, it wouldn’t have been that message. … But I just think the universe orders up what it needs when it needs it. And I think the world needed to hear what she had to say last night.”

Watch Taraji talk to Ellen about Viola’s win below:

Photo Credit: Ellentube