Taraji P. Henson Teases Big Surprise for 2024 BET Awards (Exclusive)

Published: 7:40 PM PDT, June 25, 2024

Taraji P. Henson has big things in store for the 2024 BET Awards. Ahead of her third hosting stint at the annual show on Sunday, Henson told ET’s Deidre Behar that she has a “cool AF” surprise for the opening.

“Oh, lord. It’s just another part of my talent that you guys get to see,” she told ET with a laugh. “You gonna see a lot of things. [It will be] another surprise for a lot of my fans that didn’t know I could do this. I’ve done it before, but not on Culture’s Biggest Night. I think more people will get to see this talent.”

While she’s yet to start formal rehearsals for the surprise, Henson, 53, said that she’s working on it in “mirror moments at home, in my sleep, in my head, every waking moment, just so that it’s in my body, so when I get on the stage, it’s second nature.”

That opening moment is just one that she’s looking forward to in her return to the BET Awards.

“I think it’s the live theater of it all. I was trained in theater, so I feel most comfortable on the stage,” Henson said, before sharing that fans can expect an “uplifting” theme throughout the show.

“It’s about empowerment, it’s about togetherness, and that’s not gonna change,” she said of her personal brand. “We’re going to have a good time.”

Henson won’t be the only star at Sunday’s event as performances from Ice Spice, Victoria Monét, Lauryn Hill, Will Smith and more are scheduled.

“I’m proud of him,” Henson said of Smith, 55, who’s debuting a new song at the ceremony. “You can’t keep a good man down.“

Then there’s Usher, who will be honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement BET Award.

“If he has not proven that he is at the top of his game and has remained at the top of his game for years and can pop out and prove it anytime he wants. I mean, what is there to discuss?” Henson said. “I have seen Usher everywhere. I’ve been to Vegas, I’ve been to Paris. Usher, if you have a show on the moon, I’m coming. I’m scared, but I may go for Usher.”

“I was there at the Super Bowl. I haven’t missed an Usher moment,” she continued, referencing his Super Bowl LVIII halftime show performance. “I am so honored to be hosting on the night when he’s gonna receive his flowers. I’m honored and just blessed to be a part of his life because he’s been a part of my moments too for so many years.”

There to see it all will be Henson’s cousins, as well as her son, Marcell Johnson, and trainer Mike T. Of the last addition Henson quipped, “Why are you coming?” before discussing her fitness transformation.

“It’s hard. It has been hard, but it’s been something that me and my trainer have been working on for some time,” she said. “I’m ready to transition my body and I want to see my body look like what I haven’t ever seen it look like before. So we’ve been working really, really, really hard.”

“I stripped the weight down, that extra fat. That’s what you have to do in order to build, so we’ve been building,” Henson added. “I’m sleepy a lot. He had me up this morning at 4. We started training at 5:30, but I had to wake up at 4 a.m. to be prepared at 5:30. He’s been salivating since he heard the announcement about me hosting the BET Awards.”

Henson will host the 2024 BET Awards on June 30.

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