Taraji P. Henson Says You Can Feel Confident and Sexy at Any Age: ‘Your Sexy Never Dies’

• Taraji P. Henson appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show and shocked audience members when she revealed her age.

• The actress, 51, shared that she doesn't let society dictate how she should look or feel.

• “I want to be the representation for women that your sexy never dies [until] you’re in the box.”
  

Whether she's playing protagonist Cookie Carter on Empire or Miss Hannigan on Annie Live!, Taraji P. Henson knows a thing or two about playing tenacious characters. And as she grows older, the 51-year-old is leaning into the idea of aging with the same gusto.

Henson shared what it’s like to be 51 during a recent interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show—and she has a refreshing take. She shocked the audience (and Kelly Clarkson herself!) when she revealed how old she really is.

“I’m sorry, what? You’re 51?” Clarkson exclaimed in shock, stopping Henson mid-sentence.

After cheers from the audience died down, Henson went into detail on what she wants others to take away from her years in the spotlight. “I want to be the representation for women that your sexy never dies ‘till you’re in the box.”

While that's certainly true (and we love this notion), Clarkson replied with what we were all thinking: “Not everybody looks like that at 51.”

But Henson revealed that she views age as simply a number, and that she believes how you feel about yourself can dictate how you look. “Listen, it’s how you feel about it. I decided that I wasn’t going to allow the world, men, or this industry to dictate how I live my life and how I age,” she said. “I’m going to turn 50 just like I turned 30, except you know, my knees are a little different.”

The actress assured the audience that her age isn't going to slow her down anytime soon. “I’m not going to buy into my career is over, or, life for me is over, or sexy is over, or I shouldn’t wear this. I’m going to do what I feel,” Henson said.

Clarkson, still shocked by the age of her guest, responded, “If you wouldn’t have told me that, I would have had no idea. That’s so funny.”

Henson then joked with Clarkson that she's also shocked sometimes about her own age, and has to remind herself how old she actually is.

“I say it because I can’t believe it. I just looked up one day and I was turning 50. I was like, ooh,” Henson said covering her face in disbelief. “That’s how fast it happens to these babies out here. It happens that fast, like seriously. And if you have kids, they make it zoom. I can’t believe my son is 27,” Henson said.

Whatever Henson is doing to look and feel amazing, it's working. If, like us, you're in awe of the star's age, check out her 10-minute makeup routine to get on her flawless level. We can't wait to see what's next for the actress, and how she continues to shine as the years go by.

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