We’ve known Taraji for a loooong time, and we’ve loved her since Hustle & Flow, but from here on out, Taraji will forever be known as Cookie. Empire creator Lee Daniels admitted that he offered Taraji the role less than 30 seconds into her audition because she had “it,” and we would have to agree. Admit it: In Taraji’s next role, you’ll be looking for just a smidge of Cookie to come out.
Bow who? Despite her success with Black-ish, we’re still unapologetically attached to Joan Clayton. Many of her character since Girlfriend‘s abrupt finale have had Joan traits to them, but it’s just not the same. In our eyes, her other roles are simply Joan-as-[fill-in-the-character].
Martin starred as Martin on Martin, so it’s only natural that we see Martin as Martin (are you keeping up?). Yes, he was Big Momma, and yes, he was Marcus in Bad Boys, but weren’t those characters really just Martin Payne was doing during talk show host segments?
Tasha Smith has a hefty resume, starring in everything from Daddy’s Little Girls to Couples Retreat to Jumping the Broom to Addicted, but we just can’t see her as anything other than the strong and argumentative Angela Williams who is unashamedly set in her ways. Sorry, Tasha, but you’ll always be Angela to us!
We love you, Alfonso, but you should just go ahead and legally change your name to Carlton. ‘Nuff said.
Ever since A Different World went off the air in 1993, Jasmine Guy has popped up in numerous projects, including Dead Like Me, The Vampire Diaries, even Scary Movie 5. Buuuut let’s be honest: the ghost of Southern Belle Whitney Gilbert will always follow her (where did her accent go in those other roles??). And we’re completely okay with that!
She didn’t live in the building, but that doesn’t mean that Max didn’t have an effect on us! It doesn’t matter if Erika Alexander is playing a navy commander on NCIS or a patient on Grey’s Anatomy: The witty attorney will forever live on in our hearts.
Jaleel, like it or not, you can never escape your fate as Steve Urkel. The show ended it’s run almost 20 years ago, but the nerdy, lovable Urkel will live on forever. Every time we see Jaleel, we just want him to start talking in his nasally voice, tug on his suspenders and wonder, “Did I do that?”
Based on the novel Push by Sapphire, Precious was directed by Lee Daniels in 2009. Gabourey Sidibe, who played Precious, made her acting debut in the film, and Mo’Nique, who played her mom, won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
