Taraji P. Henson will only accept a role if it makes her “uncomfortable or scared”.

The Color Purple star has reached a point in her career where she can afford to be picky and turn down roles similar to characters she has played before. She is now on the lookout for scripts that will challenge her and push her outside of her comfort zone.

“I’ve played so many characters that now I get sent scripts and I think, ‘I’ve done this already,'” she told U.S. Glamour. “I need something that makes me uncomfortable or scared, because that means it’s something I’m going to have to overcome. So if I get a script and that s**t don’t scare me, I shouldn’t do it. It’s someone else’s blessing. If I’m going to transform, that means the audience has to transform.”

She added, “That’s what excites me… Stuff that scares the s**t out of me.”

The Empire actress, who recently appeared in the TV show Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, has a few projects in the pipeline, including Tyler Perry’s film Straw and the drama Time Alone.

Ultimately, the 54-year-old dreams of one day reaching a level of success where she doesn’t need to act constantly.

“I’m ready to travel, and stay on a yacht, and tap in when something’s good,” she declared. “I see myself travelling more for fun. Not for work, not to make money, but just to enjoy the fruits of my hard work. That’s what I’m ready to get to.”

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