Monday, Feb. 16, 2009
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Another strong black woman nurturing another difficult child. Like Davis, Henson is splendidly sympathetic, artistically on-point. In the early reels of Benjamin Button, the viewer needs to be steered toward the main character as a creature of more than side-show interest; and the unconditional love of Henson's Queenie is the ideal guide into the movie's conceit. Both actresses have made their living in series TV; it'd be lovely to think that these nominations will bring them bigger roles in movies. (Odds of winning: 30 to 1)