Ever since Empire came out, Miss Taraji P. Henson has been enjoying a new level of fame. People LOVE Cookie and her sass with a seriousness that I can totally support. But I’ve been a fan of hers since long ago. Here’s why girlfriend caught my eye long before she starred in the best show on television.

• She had pop-up roles in several of my favorite childhood shows : Sister, Sister, ER, Felicity, Saved by the Bell.
• Ms. Henson is seriously gorgeous
• Tyrese loves her. Isn’t that reason enough?
• She’s 43, and doesn’t look a day over 25. I would love to know her secrets.
• She throws shade like no other. Did you know she MADE UP some of Cookie’s best lines? I wouldn’t mess with her
• I MAY have watched Something New every.single.time it played on HBO in college, and that’s when she really won my fandom
• She advocates for animals and loves dogs
• Taraji shines in Benjamin Button
• And you can’t NOT love her in Think Like a Man and Think Like a Man, Too – even when she is giving that sweet man she’s dating the run around. She’s just trying to put her career first!

I, for one, am excited to see where this new level of fame takes her.