Apparently, Taraji P. Henson had some competition for the role of Cookie Lyon on “Empire.” We wouldn’t go so far as to call it “stiff,” however, because it was just James Corden in a dress and wig.
The two actors clashed last night on CBS’ “Late Late Show,” during a throwback sketch to auditions from Fox’s hip-hop soap opera. It was an uncomfortable casting lobby, to say the least.
“You’re messing with the wrong bitch, you boojie trick,” Corden said towards Henson in the waiting room, later blaming the offensive line on the script they were studying.
After, he gets away with calling her a “salty, fake-ass ho,” using the same excuse.
“Coming in here half-assed with your dollar store jeans, your discount hoops, fake-ass shoes, cheap Chanel belt,” he ranted.
That was not in the script, he admitted, declaring: “It’s real life, bitch, and we’s living it!”
Henson wasn’t having any of that.
“I raised Benjamin Button, bitch,” the actress shot back. “Where’s your Oscar nomination, huh?”
“You think anybody saw you in ‘Into the Woods’?” she added. “All anybody ever saw was Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, and the trees. Were you a tree? Was that you? A weeping willow tree?”
There are plenty of other great lines in the skit — and even a surprise appearance by another “Empire” star — so watch the video above.