Photo: Dana Starbard/©2017 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved.(NEW YORK) — Starting today, Taraji P. Henson will be kicking it into high gear as Mary, a hit-woman with a heart, in the action flick Proud Mary.Henson plays an assassin who works for an organized crime family in Boston. However, life takes an unexpected turn when she meets a young boy after a professional hit goes wrong. According to Henson, who serves as an executive producer on the film, Proud Mary is all about “redemption.”
“We humans make mistakes. We’re all flawed.. no one’s perfect,” Henson tells ABC Radio. “In Mary’s case, she’s just doing the best in her life…with the cards she was dealt. The streets raised her. But thank God, she’s dealing with the woman in the mirror and she’s trying to change– make a change for herself and for this kid.Trying to prevent him from having the same life she’s had… and that’s to be commended.”
While Henson says she can understand her character’s instability, the Golden Globe-winning actress admits she and Mary are extremely different.
“That, basic primal instinct. That, basic need to survive. That, me or you,” Henson says, naming off Mary’s characteristics. “Definitely — when it comes to taking another human’s life. But… I’m not like that.”
Henson continues, “I’m a preserver of life. I’m like, ‘I’m going to call the cops,” [and] if I shoot you it’s going to be in the foot. Not unless you’re trying to kill me then it’s like, ‘Me or you.’ But, Mary is a cold blooded killer.”
Taraji also adds that, like everyone else, Mary eventually evolves.
“She has this moment with this kid and it changes her life for the better, actually, and she has to fight like hell to get out,” she says.
Proud Mary, which also stars Danny Glover and Neal McDonough, hits theaters today.
