Taraji P. Henson is a guest star on ABC comedy Abbott Elementary Wednesday, April 12. The episode is titled “Mom” and Janine’s estranged mother Vanetta shows up in Janine’s classroom unannounced, asking for help and fouling up Janine’s plan for a Memorial Day weekend trip. Henson’s Vanetta character is high energy and over the top, and makes her mark immediately on Janine’s students and fellow teachers. 

“She plays by her own rules,” Janine says in the episode. 

Quinta Brunson plays Janine. She’s also the show creator and executive producer of Abbott Elementary. 

Henson played Cookie Lyon in Empire. Her film work includes Hidden Figures, Proud Mary and What Men Want. 

Abbott Elementary is in season three. 

Disney Plus will get an early start on Halloween with a new Oct. 8 special featuring The Muppets.

The special, Muppets Haunted Mansion, will feature many of the iconic Muppets characters as well as actors Will Arnett, Yvette Nicole Brown and Taraji P. Henson, according to the streaming service.

Also appearing in the special are Chrissy Metz, Alfonso Ribeiro, Edward Asner, Jeannie Mai, Danny Trejo, Sasheer Zamata, Craig Robinson, Skai Jackson, Pat Sajak, Geoff Keighley, Justina Machado, John Stamos and Kim Irvine.

Actress Taraji P. Henson’s talk show, Peace of Mind with Taraji, will return for a second season on Facebook Watch.

Production of 10 new episodes co-hosted by Henson’s friend Tracie Jade has begun in Los Angeles. They will be available to watch later this year.

The show had its debut in December 2020 and focuses on mental health issues through interviews with celebrities including Gabrielle Union, Mary J. Blige and Jay Pharoah in the first season.

“Peace of Mind with Taraji is a shining example of how great content can build community and create conversation on Facebook Watch,” said Mina Lefevre, head of development and programming for Facebook Watch. 

“We had a tremendous response to our first season as Taraji and Tracie struck a chord with fans and critics alike. They are the perfect duo to discuss and destigmatize mental health issues, offering important and accessible conversations with compelling guests week after week. We’re excited to show you what’s in store this upcoming season with Taraji, Tracie and our partners at 495 Productions,” Lefevre said.

“We’ve long been mental health advocates for the Black community and founded BLHF to educate and provide resources to those who are struggling with talking about their challenges,” said Henson and Jade. 

“In season two of Peace of Mind, we will continue to open the door for impactful and relevant conversations,” they said. “Partnering with Facebook allows us to engage more broadly with our community, sharing our own personal battles with mental health as well, in hopes that they see themselves in us. The more we talk about it, the more comfortable others will feel to talk about it. We will talk, we will laugh, we will cry…., we gon’ heal, together!”

Other talk shows on Facebook Watch include Red Table Talk with Jada Pinkett Smith, her daughter Willow Smith and mother Adrienne Banfield Norris; Steve on Watch with Steve Harvey; and Red Table Talk: the Estafans with Gloria Estafan and her daughter Emily Estafan and nice Lili Estafan.

Peace of Mind with Taraji is produced by 495 Productions with Taraji P. Henson, Tracie Jade Jenkins, SallyAnn Salsano and Jennifer Ryan serving as executive producers. Ebony McClain serves as co-executive producer.

Taraji P. Henson will play the mean orphanage head Miss Hannigan when NBC stages and airs Annie Live! Dec. 2. Henson played Cookie Lyon on Empire and her filmwork includes Hustle & Flow and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  

“When we decided to bring back NBC’s holiday musical tradition, we were looking for something that was critically acclaimed and universally beloved – and while that’s definitely the case with Annie, it absolutely applies to Taraji as well,” said Susan Rovner, chairman, entertainment content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “Watching her take on this iconic role will be a thrill that has all the makings of must-watch television.” 

Also Read: NBC To Do 'Annie Live!' Later This Year

NBC has begun the casting search for the title role, looking for a “young, future star of any ethnicity to bring optimism, spunk, honesty and a wisdom beyond their years.” Auditions happen virtually and rehearsals are in New York this fall.  

“Carol Burnett, who brought Miss Hannigan to life in the classic 1982 movie, is someone I have studied and idolized as far back as I can remember,” said Henson. “So when the opportunity came to me to join NBC and this incredible group of producers, I jumped! Carol, I hope to do you proud!”

Annie Live! will be executive produced by Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Alex Rudzinsky, with Lear deBessonet and Alex Rudzinski sharing the directing duties. Choreography will be led by Sergio Trujillo. Paul Tazewell will design costumes. Jason Sherwood will orchestrate production design. Stephen Oremus will oversee the music direction. The live event is being produced by Chloe Productions.

The Annie musical premiered on Broadway in 1977.

NBC staged The Sound of Music in 2013. Other live productions include Peter Pan Live! and The Wiz Live!.

Taraji P. Henson will host the 2020 American Music Awards, which happen Nov. 22 on ABC. Henson’s films include Hidden Figures and Hustle & Flow and her TV work includes Empire. The event happens at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. 

“The AMAs bring together the music community to celebrate what really drives all artists – the fans,” said Henson. “I’m proud to take the stage as this year’s host – and also a fan – for what promises to be an electrifying night of music.”

AMA nominees include The Weeknd and Roddy Ricch, which have eight nominations, Megan Thee Stallion, with five, and Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, DaBaby and Doja Cat with four.

Dua Lipa will perform.  

Henson wrote the book Around the Way Girl.

The 2020 American Music Awards is produced by dick clark productions. Amy Thurlow, Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and Linda Gierahn are executive producers.

As co-host of the 68th annual Emmy Awards nominations ceremony Thursday, black-ish star Anthony Anderson was overjoyed to read his name as an Emmy nominee for lead actor in a comedy series. 

He also enthusiastically cheered when his co-star Tracee Ellis Ross was nominated in the comedy lead actress category and when black-ish was chosen among the nominees for best comedy.

But Anderson’s humorous exploits were among only a few things the broadcast networks had to cheer about during the unveiling of the Emmy Awards nominations.

In recognizing the television industry’s incredible and unprecedented breadth and depth of content, the Television Academy this year leaned more toward cable networks as well as online streaming services like Netflix and Amazon when voting for the best quality series, original movies, limited series and original movies on television.

The big four broadcast networks were nearly shut out of the major drama categories, with Empire’s Taraji P. Henson and How To Get Away With Murder’s Viola Davis' nominations in the drama lead actress category keeping cable, PBS and online services from a complete sweep.

Moreover, cable nets and streaming services also generated a good portion of Emmy nominations for new shows that could rack up multiple Emmy Award nominations and wins in the years to come.

From freshman series such as Netflix’s Masters of None, which garnered nominations in the best Comedy and Best comedy actor categories for star Aziz Ansari, to USA’s sophomore thriller Mr. Robot -- a contender for best drama and best actor for breakout star Rami Malek -- the Emmy newbies were mostly from the cable and online arena.

That’s not to say that the broadcast networks are obsolete or incapable developing strong, new shows. But right now, the Academy has acknowledged that for this Emmy run the best and brightest new shows are on cable networks and online SVOD services.

Anderson’s enthusiasm for black-ish’s Emmy nominations could also be extended to television’s continued advancements in bringing quality, diverse shows, storylines and characters to the small screen. Non-white actors garnered a record 21 Emmy nominations this year, surpassing last year’s record of 18, according to Deadline.com.

FX’s American Crime Story: People v. O.J. Simpson and ABC’s black-ish led the way with multiple actors of color earning Emmy nominations, while the aforementioned Henson and Davis will again vie for lead actress honors in the drama category (Davis won last year, becoming the first African-American female actress to do so in the category). 

The stage is now set for a very fascinating Emmy Awards celebration in September. Bring on the winners. 

UPDATE:Upfronts 2016: Brad Siegel: TV One 'Empire' Acquisition a 'Game Changer'

TV One has acquired the exclusive cable rights to Fox broadcasting’s hit drama series Empire, the network announced prior to its Thursday morning upfront presentation in New York.

The music-themed drama starring Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson will launch on the African-American targeted TV One this spring following Empire’s season two finale on Fox next month, network officials said. Financial terms were not disclosed by the network, owned by Radio One and in about 57 million homes. 

“We are ecstatic to partner with 20th Television and Imagine in showcasing one of the biggest hits in television history,” said TV One president Brad Siegel. “Empire dominates the media landscape with a first-rate cast, original music content, engaging plots and celebrity guests. TV One is proud to be the exclusive cable network home for the series as it represents our brand promise to defy expectations.”

ABC’s Black-ish and Fox’s Empire dominated the major television categories during the NAACP Image Awards last night.

Black-ish swept the comedy categories, winning for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Actor (Anthony Anderson) and Outstanding Actress (Tracee Ellis Ross). Empire was just as dominant in the key drama categories, taking home awards for Outstanding Drama Series, Actor (Terrence Howard) and Actress (Taraji P. Henson).

On the cable side, HBO and BET won multiple NAACP Image Awards, which honored the achievements of people of color in entertainment.

TV One aired live Friday night's 47th Annual NAACP Image Awards ceremony, which was hosted by Anthony Anderson.

The winners in the television categories are as follows:

Outstanding Comedy Series

“black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series  

Anthony Anderson - “black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series  

Tracee Ellis Ross - “black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Drama Series

“Empire” (FOX)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Terrence Howard - “Empire” (FOX)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Taraji P. Henson - “Empire” (FOX)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series  

Mike Epps – “Survivor’s Remorse” (Starz)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series  

Marsai Martin - “black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series  

Joe Morton - “Scandal” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series  

Regina King - “American Crime” (ABC)

Outstanding Television Movie, Mini- Series, or Dramatic Special  

“The Wiz Live!” (NBC)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini- Series, or Dramatic Special  

David Alan Grier - “The Wiz Live!” (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini- Series, or Dramatic Special  

Queen Latifah - “Bessie” (HBO)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)  

“Unsung” (TV One)

Outstanding Talk Series  

“The Talk” (CBS)

Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Series  

“Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” (OWN)

Outstanding Variety (Series or Special)  

“Family Feud” (Syndicated)

Outstanding Children’s Program  

“Doc McStuffins” (Disney Junior)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Mini-Series)  

Marcus Scribner - “black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Host in a News, Talk, Reality, or Variety Program (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble  

Steve Harvey- “Family Feud” (Syndicated)

Outstanding Documentary - (Film)

“The Black Panthers:  Vanguard of the Revolution” (PBS Distribution/Firelight Films)

Outstanding Documentary - (Television)

“Muhammad Ali:  The People’s Champ” (BET)

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series   

Kenya M. Barris - “black-ish” – The Word (ABC) 

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

Mara Brack Ali, Jameal Turner, Keli Goff - “Being Mary Jane” – Sparrow (BET) 

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

Don Cheadle - “House of Lies” – The Urge to Save Humanity is Almost Always a False Front for the Urge to Rule (Showtime)

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

John Ridley - “American Crime” – Episode 1 (ABC)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Television)

Dee Rees - “Bessie” (HBO)

HBO took home the lion’s share of Critics’ Choice Television Awards during Sunday night's live telecast.

HBO won seven awards to lead all cable shows, followed by FX with four wins, according to the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA). Amazon, AMC, Comedy Central and Fox also took home multiple awards with two each.

Olive Kitteridge (HBO) was most honored program with three wins including best limited series. AMC’s Better Call Saul, HBO’s Silicon Valley and Amazon’s Transparent won two awards each, according to the BTJA.

FX’s The Americans won the award for Best Drama Series, while Silicon Valley (HBO) won Best Comedy Series. HBO’s Bessie took top honors in the best movie made for television category. 

Best actor in a drama series went to Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), while Jeffrey Tambor took home top honors for best actor in a comedy series for his role in Amazon’s Transparent.

The Best actress in a drama series was awarded to Taraji P. Henson for her role in Fox’s Empire, while the best actress in a comedy series nod went to Amy Schumer (Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer.)

The 2015 Critics’ Choice Television Awards were hosted by Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance) and aired live on A&E

The Complete list of Critics’ Choice Television Awards is as follows:

Best Drama Series: The Americans (FX)

Best Actor in a Drama Series: Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (AMC)

Best Actress in a Drama Series: Taraji P. Henson, Empire (FOX)

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul (AMC)

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Lorraine Toussaint, Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)

Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series: Sam Elliott, Justified (FX)

Best Comedy Series: Silicon Valley (HBO)

Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon)

Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central)

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: T.J. Miller, Silicon Valley (HBO)

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Allison Janey, Mom (CBS)

Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series: Bradley Whitford, Transparent (Amazon)

Best Movie Made for Television: Bessie (HBO)

Best Limited Series: Olive Kitteridge (HBO)

Best Actor in a Movie or Limited Series: David Oyelowo, Nightingale (HBO)

 Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Series: Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)

Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Limited Series: Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)

Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Limited Series: Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX)

Best Reality Series: Shark Tank (ABC) 

Best Reality Competition Series: Face Off (Syfy)

Best Reality Series Host: Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance (FOX)

Best Talk Show: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)

Best Animated Series: Archer (FX)

Critics’ Choice LOUIS XIII Genius Award: Seth MacFarlane