Being a celebrity in the age of social media is a lot more complicated than in the years before Twitter and other popular platforms. Fans and critics are able to get even closer to those they idolize or even hate with just the click of a button. It doesn’t always have its advantages, as Empire alum Taraji P. Henson spoke about having social media as someone in the limelight.
While a guest on Angie Martinez IRL Podcast, Taraji P. Henson got candid about her fame. She’s been acting since the late 1990s, meaning she has been in the game as the internet became more and more essential. Henson opened up about social media and the way people just hide behind screens:
[We don’t ever see] the disappointment, the letdown, the conversations you have with yourself. The imposter syndrome. The stuff going on in our heads. You know, nobody gets to see that. I’m trying to be on; you know what I mean? Listen, you would never know what I’m honestly [feeling]. Social media is where people post, and they live this fantasy realization. It’s not real. Nobody’s posting their pain. Nobody’s posting the days where they don’t give a fuck…That’s why you gotta take that social media with a grain of salt. Because we’re all addicted. It ain’t even about the kids anymore.
It can be hard for some to not become addicted to social media, as it’s an easy way to stay connected with people and find new friends. But it is definitely taxing on the mind and mental health, especially since some people may not show all of their feelings. As a celebrity, it’s evidently even worse.
Taraji P. Henson opened up about how some things on social media would wake her up, and she’d have restless nights because of conversations or posts she’s overthinking:
It’s terrible. Things will wake me up out of comatose sleep. You need to address this! Like literally, I have issues with sleeping because my mind won’t rest. I will leave this conversation this interaction – because we going out after this –but I will leave this night, and it’s a beautiful night… but I will leave the situation like, ‘What did I say? Was that offensive?’
In my experience, it’s not uncommon to overthink something you post on social media or worry about something you may have said or should have said. Hearing what Taraji P. Henson has to say about it shines a light on how celebrities deal with the strain, and it’s definitely eye-opening.
Back in 2019, Henson opened up about her struggles with mental health and how there’s a misconception about people in the limelight having it all together when that really isn’t the case. Her comments about social media track with those earlier comments.
Taraji P. Henson, who is part of the cast of The Color Purple that releases later this year, has been keeping focused on other ventures. She hosted That’s My Jam on NBC, which will premiere its second season as part of the 2023 TV schedule on March 7. She lent her voice to 2022’s Minions: The Rise of Gru and 2023’s PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. She is also set to star in and produce the upcoming movie Time Alone, which has yet to have a premiere date.
It's likely that social media will continue playing a big role for years to come, but hopefully, it messes less with mental health in the future, or at the very least, it messes less with public images. Everyone could use a break at some point.
