Movie-lovers might remember her award-winning performances in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Hidden Figures - but for many, it's her role as the queen bee, Cookie Lyon, on the Fox network's Empire that turned Taraji P Henson into a star.
And on Friday night the feisty US actress and author was celebrated at a swish dinner to mark the culmination of her second tour of SA to promote that hit series.
Called A Night with Taraji, the event was held at a sparkling new venue called The Shed, located in Steyn City.
The sprawling Joburg residential estate smack bang between Diepsloot and Dainfern.
Most of those in attendance were women, with hat-sporting comedian David Kau one of the few blokes - and even fewer A-lister worthies - present.
But that didn't matter when things finally got under way - some two hours after we were asked to pitch - and the 48-year-old entertainer opened up to us about her trials and tribulations as a single mom in Hollywood.
"Get [away] from those people who have the same problems [as you], and get around those people who have solutions," was one of the pearls of wisdom she offered during an onstage chat with the night's host, Anele Mdoda.
We were served a range of canapés as starters while mains were a choice of slow-braised lamb belly on a bed of risotto, parsnips and parmesan cheese (which I quite enjoyed); or coconut chickpea curry with broccoli rice, lime and coriander (which I assume Taraji, who recently turned vegan after a health scare, tucked into).
However, don't ask me about dessert - my self-imposed limit of 2½ hours at a function was up, and I hit the road back home...