Oscar-nominated actor, singer, awards show host—one could argue she can do it all, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for Taraji P. Henson. Some might still know her offhand as “Cookie,” a standout performance that secured Henson’s A-list status in Hollywood. But her career includes plenty of other awards-caliber performances.

Henson studied acting at Howard University and began her Hollywood career in guest roles on several TV shows before making her breakthrough in Baby Boy (2001). In 2011, she starred in the Lifetime Television film Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story, which brought her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. From 2011 to 2013, she co-starred as Detective Jocelyn Carter in the CBS drama Person of Interest, for which she won an NAACP Image Award. In 2015, she began starring as Cookie Lyon in the Fox drama series Empire, and the rest is history.

In 2016, Time named Henson one of the 100 most influential people in the world. That year, she also released a best-selling autobiography titled Around the Way Girl. More recently, it was announced that Henson will star in the upcoming musical remake of The Color Purple. Amid this exciting news, we looked at the versatile actor’s finest films to date. An honorable mention, before we proceed to her top five, would be Henson’s starring turn in What Men Want, a clever remake of Mel Gibson’s hit film What Women Want. Below are Henson’s juicier, more groundbreaking performances.

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5 Baby Boy (2001)

     Columbia Pictures

In South Central Los Angeles, a misguided 20-year-old Black man faces the commitments of real life. Baby Boy is the story of Jody (played by Tyrese Gibson), who’s been living with his mother for several years even though he’s got a child of his own. Romantically, he’s having relationships with two women: the mother of his son and a new interest. This excellent feature from John Singleton (Boyz n the Hood) was originally set to star Tupac Shakur but then switched to Gibson after Shakur’s death in 1996.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Henson plays Yvette, the mother of Jody’s son. It was her film debut, and what a mark she made. Gibson and Henson later went on to star Four Brothers, interestingly enough. “I think that’s why Tyrese and I are still good friends to this day,” Henson told the Los Angeles Times while discussing her work alongside Gibson in Baby Boy. “We were like virgins to the game, together. It was the first feature film for both of us, and we were in leading positions. There were a lot of firsts—it was the first time being totally nude on film and pretending to have sex. We went through that together, and we met at a point in our lives when we had to connect and get through something together.”

4 Hustle & Flow (2005)

     Paramount Classics

At one point, Three 6 Mafia had more Oscars to their name than Martin Scorsese. Henson’s follow-up to Baby Boy was another stunner, for many reasons including her heartbreaking performance. Hustle & Flow follows a DJay, Memphis pimp in a midlife crisis who attempts to become a successful hip-hop emcee with the help of his friends. John Singleton was also involved in this project, as a producer. This is Terrence Howard at the top of his game, earning an Oscar nod for his arresting performance. And of course, Three 6 Mafia nabbed the Academy win for their hit song “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp,” which Howard’s character assembles within the thrilling storyline.

Henson plays Shug, DJay’s pregnant sex worker who provides the “hard out here for a pimp” chorus hook as the characters put together the song. She has little moments throughout the film, but each is powerful—from her shellshocked reaction upon hearing her voice on DJay’s hit track to her final embrace with DJay before he heads off to jail at the end. You root for Shug—and the unborn baby she carries. Funny coincidence that Henson will also play a character named Shug in the upcoming musical remake of “The Color Purple.”

3 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

     Paramount Pictures

You probably remember this one. Loosely based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is David Fincher’s drama starring Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse and Cate Blanchett as the love interest throughout his life. Digital Domain worked on the stunning visual effects of the film, particularly in the process of the metamorphosis of Pitt’s character. The film was a box office success and received thirteen Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Taraji P. Henson.

Henson plays Queenie, a caregiver at a seniors home who raises a “young” Benjamin. Opposite Pitt’s subdued, graceful turn, Henson’s energetic, heartfelt performance as Benjamin’s mom carries the film in its own right.

2 Empire (2015-2020)

     20th Television

You definitely remember this one, with Hustle & Flow lovers Henson and Howard reuniting. Lee Daniels’ Empire followed a Lucious, a fictional hip-hop mogul who must choose a successor among his three sons battling for control over his multi-million dollar company, while his ex-wife schemes to reclaim what is hers. During its run, it was one of the most-watched television shows on Fox.

Henson plays Cookie, Lucious’ outspoken ex-wife and mother of his three sons who served a 17-year prison sentence for drug dealing but becomes determined after her release to bring the Lyon family back together and reclaim her share of the company. “I said no to Cookie at first,” Henson once told The New York Times. “I thought she was horrible. But as an actor, you can’t judge. Your job is to empathize with that character and to tell that character’s truth. Once I started really looking at her as a mother, that changed. When I lived in the ’hood, I understood that jobs went away, and drugs were dropped off, and that a 9-to-5 job and minimum wage is not going to take care of your family. I’m not condoning selling drugs in any way: I think it’s the worst thing you can do to your people. But it’s survival. And if you want to save your kids from a life of drugs and jail and becoming statistics, then you do what you got to do. And that’s what she did.” A spin-off series centered around Cookie was set to launch in 2020. We’ll welcome any opportunity to resurface this iconic character.

1 Hidden Figures (2016)

     Fox 2000 Pictures

When the U.S. raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of Black women mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history. Based on the true-life story, Hidden Figures follows the women as they quickly rose the ranks of NASA alongside many of history’s greatest minds specifically tasked with calculating the momentous launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. The film was a critical and commercial success, and rightfully took home the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards that year. Henson’s acceptance speech at the ceremony was utterly inspiring.

Henson plays Katherine Goble Johnson, the real-life mathematician who made history alongside Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson (played by Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe, respectively). The fierce, determined portrayal of Johnson is why Hidden Figures tops our list here. The scene that sealed the deal: when Johnson confronts Space Task Group director Al Harrison (played by Kevin Costner) about the office’s blatant inequality, as epitomized by the segregated bathrooms and coffee stations. The moment will just floor you.