Taraji P. Henson is already a legendary actress, but being chosen to appear in Rihanna’s highly anticipated Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 show has her feeling like she’s “finally arrived.”
“I’ve been waiting for the call,” Henson told ET, revealing that it was actually an email that came for her. “I was like, f**k yeah, I wanted the show. Like, who says no to Rihanna? Maybe she’ll call me for the Super Bowl!”
The 52-year-old is one of numerous special guests on the evening, which also features Damson Idris, Irina Shayk, Joan Smalls, Kornbread, Marsai Martin, Precious Lee, Rickey Thompson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Simu Liu, Taylour Paige, Winston Duke, and many others.
Describing her outfit as “sexy in the front” and “savage in the back,” the actress joked that she doesn’t want to make viewers “pass out at home.”
Aside from the joy of the endeavor, Henson termed the fashion show a “revolution,” especially in a fashion world that she claimed pushed the concept of a single desirable body form.
“For a long time, when you thought fashion, you thought [of] one body shape or type and I think what I love about Rihanna and her message] is that beauty is everywhere. Beauty is in all humans, all shapes [and] sizes, and representation is very important,” Henson told ET. “So she’s nailing it on the head with that. Body positivity and just feeling confident in the skin that God gave you, the body God gave you.”
Henson added that “for a long time” models in the fashion world “had to look a certain way” while that wasn’t the reality for the average person. “So this inclusivity and this body positivity is just so important. And, you know, I deal with mental health a lot with my foundation; this is a revolution. This is a revelation.”
“This is what you do when you have a platform. You open it up for everyone so they could feel seen,” the Peace of Mind host declared.
The annual fashion show, now in its fourth year, aims to push convention and break boundaries with a fresh all-star cast of models, actresses, musicians, and more. On November 9, the Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 Collection will be available for purchase on Amazon Fashion and at Savage X Fenty.
The new collection is “an ode to self-expression and personal empowerment,” with “diverse materials, unusual intricacy, and unique dimensions that come together flawlessly to create a boundary-bending xperience for everyBODY.” The line includes bra sizes up to 46DDD/42H, as well as underwear, sleepwear, and loungewear in sizes XS-4X/XS-XXXXL.
When it comes to her feelings on her outfit, Henson noted that she’s “all about” fashion that is also comfortable, which was key for her appearance in the fashion show. “Even in this little number, I feel sexy and all the same time I’m comfortable. Because I can’t be sexy if I’m not comfortable — it won’t show up on my face.”