Taraji P. Henson, star of this year's big surprise hit, Hidden Figures, walked the red carpet at the 2017 SAG Awards Sunday night, but she wasn't thinking about awards. Speaking to E! on the SAG Awards red carpet, Henson noted the importance of Hidden Figures beyond award shows. Though she was there to support Hidden Figures' two nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Supporting Role for Octavia Spencer, she told Giuliana Rancic that the film's true impact has nothing to do with trophies.
"I believe this movie is bigger than myself," Henson said on the SAG red carpet. "I think this movie is bigger than any awards show, not to diminish the greatness of awards shows. But it's so much bigger than us all." Henson added that her film is "a story about unity" that more than relates to the current political climate. "When we're in our worst of times... we can come together and get on the right side of history. So it's a reminder of what we need to do right now, today," she told Rancic.
Henson means when she says that she thinks it's an important film, as just last week, she bought out a showing of Hidden Figures at her local AMC theater in Chicago, where she lives, following Spencer's lead.
"The movie is important and I don't want another young girl thinking that math and science is not for her," Henson said when asked about her decision to buy out the showing of the film. "And usually you find that in places where schools are failing. And it was not my idea, but the entire cast, we came together as a whole — Pharrell [Williams], Octavia, also Janelle [Monae], we all rented out, bought out movie theaters all over the country," she added.
Henson concluded by saying that, for her, Hidden Figures isn't just a movie. "This movie, I believe, is a movement, like I said, is bigger than all of us."
