Taraji P. Henson Says She Filmed Her Lead Role in Tyler Perry's “Straw” in a Shockingly Short Period of Time (Exclusive)

Taraji P. Henson is simply a pro astatine juggling aggregate projects.

The 54-year-old character reveals to PEOPLE astatine nan Special New York Screening of Tyler Perry’s Straw on Tuesday, June 3 that she filmed her caller Netflix movie successful grounds clip — while successful nan mediate of shooting her Peacock true-crime constricted bid Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.

“[While filming Straw], I was besides astatine nan clip moving connected Fight Night,” Henson says, adding, "They worked it retired pinch my schedule.” 

“I went and changeable this for 4 days and went correct backmost to Fight Night,” she adds. 

Tyler Perry, who wrote, produced and directed nan film, says nan full Straw squad came together to make judge that they captured nan footage they needed for nan movie wrong Henson’s short model of time. 

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“It's a awesome squad that we each cognize what to do,” he tells PEOPLE. “Taraji only had 4 days, truthful we figured it retired successful those 4 days.”

For Henson, who antecedently worked pinch Perry connected nan 2018 movie Acrimony, she says it was a no-brainer erstwhile fixed nan opportunity to activity pinch nan acclaimed filmmaker again, contempt her engaged schedule. She was particularly tempted to represent specified a analyzable role.  

“He continues to situation maine and himself each clip he sends maine a script,” Henson explains astatine nan screening. “He ups nan ante each time. And I admit that because he knows I emotion a bully challenge.”

Tyler Perry’s Straw follows Janiyah (Henson), a azygous mother whose “world unravels successful chaos arsenic her time goes from bad to worse to catastrophic arsenic she struggles to attraction for her sick daughter," according to a synopsis for nan film. "Pushed to nan brink by a world that seems indifferent to her existence, she’s forced to face intolerable choices successful a nine that offers her nary information net."

Henson tells PEOPLE that she often gravitates toward characters that “scare nan hellhole retired of me,” and her characteristic of Janiyah was nary different. 

“Janiyah did scare maine a lot…,” she admits. “I was drawn to this characteristic because I emotion giving a sound to nan voiceless. I want anybody retired location who identifies pinch Janiyah to cognize that they're not unsocial and you are seeing and I spot you.”

The movie besides stars Teyana Taylor, Sherri Shepherd, Glynn Turman, Sinbad and Rockmond Dunbar.

Tyler Perry’s Straw premieres globally connected Netflix connected June 6.