Taraji P. Henson Unveils Her Newest Onscreen Character: 'She's Hilarious' (Exclusive)
Taraji P. Henson Unveils Her Newest Onscreen Character: 'She's Hilarious' (Exclusive)
Gillian TellingWed, March 18, 2026 at 4:00 PM UTC
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Taraji P. Henson at Tyler Perry's "Straw" New York screening held at The Edwardian Room at The Plaza on June 03, 2025 in New York, New York.Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty -
Taraji P. Henson is debuting a new recurring ad character for Fanatics
Henson, who is also gearing up for her Broadway debut, calls the spot "hilarious" and admits she's a gamer
She also reveals her other secret vices
Move over, Flo from Progressive — Taraji P. Henson is the next big celebrity bringing a new recurring character to the screen, for an ad series for Fanatics.
"I thought she was hilarious," Henson, 55, says of taking on the character of Fran, a stingy casino accountant who is trying to eliminate all the rewards and cash back programs that Fanatics offers. "I was like, 'Yeah, I want to do this!' Plus, I'm a gamer, so it just made sense to me."
To note, Henson is not necessarily a big gambler, per se.
"I like to play games. On my iPad," she clarifies.
"I'm addicted to them. Cooking games, puzzles, Spades. That kind of stuff. Like, even when I'm at work, I could be doing a very emotional scene and just come from crying, and then I'll go straight to my iPad and start playing my games. It's the weirdest thing that I can do that. People look at me like I'm crazy."
The first “The House Always Rewards" ad, titled "Our Accountant Hates Us," airs March 18, with others to follow.
“Taraji brings a sharp wit and grounded relatability that makes Fran instantly recognizable, even when she’s actively trying to sabotage us. She’s the perfect foil for a platform built around repeatedly rewarding players.” Fanatics' Chief Marketing Officer Selena Kalvaria says in a statement.
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Henson, who is currently rehearsing for her Broadway debut in the August Wilson play Joe Turner's Come and Gone opposite Cedric the Entertainer, says she does have one other vice: Shopping.
Taraji P. Henson at Tyler Perry's "Straw" New York screening held at The Edwardian Room at The Plaza on June 03, 2025 in New York, New York.Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty
"I'm a shopper. I shop way too much," she admits. "It's probably a problem, but that's okay. I can shop at a kiosk, a street stand. I can even go to town in a CVS. It makes me feel good!" She adds, "If they came up with a shopping game, I'd buy it."
After her Broadway run, Henson says her next move is to get back on the small screen. "I have some things I'm producing," she says. "50 Cent and I just sold a show to Peacock, so we're writing the scripts for that. I play a Texas Ranger."
In the meantime, she hopes to entertain people, whether through her upcoming work onstage or the funny commercials.
"I love to laugh," she says. "You have to laugh to keep from crying."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
