Taraji P. Henson and Nia Long Reportedly Clashed on ‘Empire’ Set
Is there drama going down on the set of Empire? While the B.S. feud rumors between Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard haven’t resurfaced, Cookie is reportedly going head-to-head with someone else.
Henson, who plays Cookie Lyon on the hit Fox show, and guest star Nia Long were “at each other’s throats” on set, according to TMZ. E! News also has reported that the feud is very much real.
“Tensions calmed between them towards the end of the season, but it comes down to the fact that they both have been in the industry for so long and both want to be the star,” an insider told E!. “Unfortunately for Nia, Taraji is the star of Empire, and no one and nothing will ever change that. Nia came with her own ideas, and they weren’t having it.”
Production sources told TMZ that Long — who appears in next week’s episode, “Play On” — “was extremely rude to the people in hair, makeup, and wardrobe,” which angered Henson. The same sources said that workers even filed an official complaint against Long — something her rep strongly denies.
However, E! corroborates TMZ’s reporting that tensions were so high, producers were looking into shooting their joint scenes separately. “Unfortunately, that’s true,” a source said. Then again, “Nia may not be on the show anymore after this.”
Both outlets allege that Long threatened to sue over an “improper goodbye” stemming from the last day of filming.
“It was when Nia made a big scene and claimed to ‘file a lawsuit’ against the crew after they rewrapped her trailer for a girl in the Make-a-Wish Foundation whose wish was to come to Empire,” a source told E!. “Nia had finished filming and left, so they changed her trailer into the Make-a-Wish girl’s trailer. Then Nia popped back up and threw a giant fit when she saw it.”
Afterward, the two actresses “argued pretty badly in front of everyone,” the source added.
Long’s rep called the story “complete nonsense.”
“Throughout her long, established career, Nia has been nothing but a consummate professional treating all members of productions with respect,” the rep told TMZ. “This is nothing but another complete fabrication about a series that has been plagued by constant rumors of drama and misconduct.”
We have a feeling that we won’t be seeing Nia Long in Empire Season 4.
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