The feud between Nia Long and Taraji P. Henson reportedly started with an ill-timed joke, but there might be deeper issues related to Nia’s attitude on set. Nia, who has a reputation for being a bit difficult, allegedly exhibited diva-like behavior and a nasty attitude, which Taraji had to address, leading to ongoing tension between them.
This conflict escalated during Nia’s recurring role on “Empire” Season 3, where she played an ex of Lucious Lyon, who was getting back together with Taraji’s character, Cookie. Nia’s character was quickly written out of the show, and sources say it was due to her interactions with the cast and crew.
Nia was often late for her scenes, causing delays of up to 30 minutes for her co-stars. When she didn’t show up, producers had to use a stand-in so that Taraji and Terrence Howard could rehearse their scenes. Eventually, Taraji couldn’t handle the disruptions any longer.
Things escalated one day when Nia was late, and someone on set asked her, “Why are you always on Black people’s time?” This comment, implying that Black people are always late, did not sit well with Nia. She confronted the person so intensely that Taraji had to step in. Reportedly, Taraji tried to lighten the mood by asking, “Why are you so mad? Are you on your period?” While Taraji might have intended to make a lighthearted remark about Nia’s tardiness and let her know what people were saying, Nia didn’t find it funny at all. This incident sparked serious tension on set.
But it wasn’t just about Nia being late. Sources said the hair and makeup team filed a formal complaint against her—the first time they’d ever done so, despite working with many guest stars. They claimed Nia was extremely disrespectful, often criticizing her look at the last minute and lashing out at the team.
Taraji, known for defending the crew members on any production, was not going to stand by and let Nia treat the Empire crew poorly. This added even more strain to the already tense atmosphere between Taraji and Nia.
So, here’s the scoop: it turns out the drama between Taraji and Nia was really about both actresses wanting to be the top star of the show. An insider told E! News, “Things cooled down a bit by the end of the season, but the core issue was that both women have been in the industry for so long and both want to shine the brightest. Unfortunately for Nia, Taraji is the undeniable star of Empire, and nothing was going to change that. Nia brought her own ideas to the table, and the team wasn’t on board.”
Reports even suggest that the situation got so tense that producers considered filming their joint scenes separately because it was such a challenge to have two dominant personalities on set at the same time.
From what I found, this feud might have actually started way before Empire. Allegedly, Nia had made some pretty harsh comments about Taraji when Taraji was gaining prominence. Nia didn’t think Taraji deserved all the opportunities she was getting. So by the time Nia joined Empire, Taraji and her supporters were definitely not in the mood to deal with any trouble.
On top of the existing drama, there were also reports that Nia threatened to sue the production over what she felt was an improper farewell, which stemmed from an incident on her last day of filming. Normally, when a guest star wraps up their final scene, the assistant director would announce it so everyone could applaud and say thanks. But Nia didn’t get that send-off, allegedly because the assistant director was busy helping Terrence Howard find Benadryl for an allergic reaction. Nia walked off the set and threatened legal action, claiming that a proper goodbye was part of her contract. Whether the director was truly distracted or just didn’t want to thank Nia is unclear, but given the complaints, it seems they might have just chosen not to honor her with a farewell.
What’s even more surprising is that this wasn’t the first time Nia’s been labeled difficult to work with. During an interview on The Breakfast Club, Malcolm Lee was asked about challenging experiences on the set of The Best Man, and he mentioned Nia specifically. He noted, “They’re all very talented people, and they all come with their own baggage. They want their own ideas.”
The trouble with Nia goes beyond just being a diva. There was also a memorable incident on The Best Man where Taye Diggs thought he might never work with her again. He recalled a scene where something felt off, so he decided to improvise. The intense slap in that scene was real and completely threw Taye Diggs off. “She really slapped it out of me, like for real. I was pissed. I was like, ‘I’m never gonna work with her again.’ You know how unprofessional that is.”
There’s been a lot of talk about a supposed feud between Nia Long and Jada Pinkett Smith, which Nia herself has hinted might have started because people were always pitting them against each other. She explained, “When I first started out, it was a small group of us—Jada, Halle Berry, Regina King, and Jasmine Guy. Out of all those women, it often felt like Jada and I were the ones competing the most.”
Nia feels that she, Jada, and other women of color broke down barriers for future actors. She believes that because she’s very clear about what she wants and what works for her, some people label her as difficult. “Here’s the deal: I know what works for me—my lighting, makeup, hair—and I’m not easily persuaded to change unless I see a good reason. If you want to call that difficult, then so be it.”
I can understand why the hair and makeup team on Empire might have seen her as having an attitude. But given her experience, it makes sense that she’d know what suits her best and want to have a say in it. Still, Taraji P. Henson didn’t quite agree with this approach.
Even though there have been plenty of rumors about something going on between Nia and Taraji, Nia’s rep has shut them down, calling them “complete nonsense.” The rep added that Nia has always been a true professional and treated everyone on set with respect. They described these rumors as just another example of the drama and false stories surrounding the show.
When paparazzi caught up with Nia, she was asked about a supposed lawsuit from the hair and makeup team. She insisted there was no lawsuit, which seems to be accurate because it turns out the crew had only filed a complaint, not a legal action. Nia also spoke up about Taraji, saying she actually has a lot of love for her. Given everything that’s been said, it’s a tough claim to swallow. What do you think? Do you believe Nia has a diva attitude? And do you think Taraji still dislikes her? I’m really interested to hear your thoughts, so drop a comment below!
