-You've been so great to me.
You've Zoomed into the show a bunch of times to help me out.
And I really appreciate it. Thank you so much.
To see you in person, it makes me so happy.
-Thank you.
You've been there for me since the beginning of my career.
-No, is that true?
When was that? Awhile. -Yes, for a long time.
-You just recently celebrated your birthday.
-I did. My 25th birthday.
-Thank you.
-Happy 25th, of course! -Thank you. Thank you.
-You had a surprise party, is what I heard.
-I did. Do you like surprise parties?
-Did you enjoy it? -I love surprise parties.
It's just really hard to surprise me.
-It is? -Yeah, I'm a Virgo, and...
-[ Gasps ] Me, too!
[ Cheering ]
-Hey, that's why we -- See? Oh, look at that.
-Wow. -Twins.
[ Laughter ]
We'll be like why couldn't we --
[ Laughing ]
Virgos.
But, I, it is...
[ Laughter ]
It is very hard to surprise me, because I am very nosy
and I can hear a pin drop.
-Yeah, you can. -So I can literally,
I can hear my assistant in the back right now,
while I'm talking to you.
-Yeah? -I can hear her.
-So how did they do it?
-I was very busy. It was Fashion Week.
So I had a huge, big schedule, and they threw in some fitting,
some random fitting, and I was upset about it,
because I was like, "Who has a fitting at 7:00 PM?"
-Yeah. -You know?
And so I was like, "I'm going to wear this."
And she was like, "No!
You have to wear the dress that your stylist sent!"
And I was like, "What? It's a fitting!"
So I cooperated, and I'm glad I did,
'cause they got me.
They got me good.
-So you go into this thing. Were you in a bad mood?
-I was a little sour,
because I'm going to wardrobe fitting at 7:00 PM.
Like, y'all couldn't do this earlier?
-Yeah, and then you walk in...
-And I walk and they're like, "Surprise!"
And I was like -- rr, eeh, ahh!
Like, I was...
-You had real heavy emotions. -I was happy. Yeah.
I was happy but I was mad, 'cause they got me.
-But you said, happy to see everybody.
Well, happy, happy birthday. -Thank you.
-You look gorgeous tonight.
-Thank you. Say it again. What else?
-You always look gorgeous. -Oh.
-This is you at the Met Gala, by the way.
Look at this. Fantastic. -Oh, that was amazing.
-Look at this, now. Come on. -[ Laughs ]
-Everyone was talking about this.
-Were they? -Oh, yeah. Are you kidding me?
You were in all the fashion magazines, you had the papers.
-Really? -Yeah.
-I don't pay attention to that stuff
'cause I don't want my feelings hurt,
so I just take the picture and I never look back.
-Oh, no, these were all great stuff.
-Okay, good.
-What was the theme this year at the Gala?
-It was Hollywood Glamour. Old Hollywood glamour.
I just decided to tap into Diana Ross,
because I just love her so much.
-I love Diana Ross. -She embodies glamour.
-Come on. Right? -Yeah.
-That Central Park show is the one I always think about.
The wind, and the yeah, and it was raining.
Oh, she's unbelievable. -Class act.
-There's so many famous people you meet at the Gala.
Who'd you hang with?
-Well, you know I saw Mary, so...
-[ Gasps ] I love Mary J. Blige.
-That's my bestest friend in the industry, yes.
-I love Mary. -And so I saw her,
and then we ran into Meg Thee Stallion.
-[ Gasps ] My other...
-Y'all know that's my baby girl.
She put me in her video, "Body-ody-ody."
-That's right, she did. -She's the best.
She's funny. -And then she was intrigued
with the...
Well, there was certain parts of our bodies
that was showing in our...
Well, okay, so mine, in the back,
it had a dip in the back, as well, and so I had --
-Deeper than this dip? -See that dip, there?
-Yes. -It was in the back as well.
So it was like, a little, sexy plumber's crack.
[ Laughter ]
And then Mary's dress was kind of revealing, too.
-Sexy plumber's crack?
-Yeah. -That's so funny.
-So what she did is she posts, she put us on her Story
and she was like, "Ooh, that sexy butt crack."
-Are you recording anything with Megan?
Ahh -Ooh. What did you hear?
-Well, I don't know. I know that you can sing.
And I heard that you actually
were working on a little EP or something.
-It's crazy, because it found me.
Like, I didn't go seeking it.
I was looking for a song for one thing that I was doing,
and so I reached out to some producer friends I know,
and then they sent me these incredible beats and I was like,
"Well, how do I pick one?
I'll just do an EP."
-Do all of them. Look at you.
-But I'm telling you, listen, I was not looking for music.
It found me -- first in "The Muppets" --
if you saw the "Muppets Haunted Mansion,"
I sang in that.
And then the next thing, Miss Hannigan.
There's something else I'm being tapped for right now,
but I can't say anything until the ink dries.
-Wow, really? -And it really involves music.
-[ Gasps ] -And then my EP.
It's just like, "What are you doing?"
-I'm so happy for you, though, because I know you can do it.
Do you know when it's going to come out or no?
-Top of the year. Stay tuned. -Okay. Alright.
January. Taraji P. Henson.
I'm just saying, look out for something good.
I'm talking about "Annie" right now.
-Okay. -This is Miss Hannigan.
Look at you.
[ Applause ]
Come on.
So, wait, how's it going? -So much fun.
-Great cast. -Great. I mean, dynamic.
Just wait until you see these little --
I call them my biscuits and my little cookies
and my little ladybugs.
-Yeah. -The little orphans.
Oh, my God. They're so amazing.
And Celina is going to blow you away, our Annie.
-Really? -Harry is a pain in my butt.
-Harry Connick Jr.? -No, I love him. He's amazing.
He has this Southern drawl that just, you're like,
"Say something again, Harry."
-Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly, right?
Oh, I love him so much. -He's so incredible.
-But the book, the music on this is just...
-You know what's amazing about this play?
The subject matter.
They're talking about the Great Depression
and Broadway opening back up.
Does that sound familiar to you guys?
-Yeah, it's eerie, right?
-It's very eerie. -Yeah.
What is your big number?
-Oh, I have "Little Girls." I have "Sign." "Easy Street."
-Oh, my God.
-Oh, and "Sign" is with Harry Connick and I.
That's our duet. -Okay.
-And then I have "Little Girls."
That's Miss Hannigan's solo.
And then we have "Easy Street."
-This thing is live. -It's live.
-Are you nervous at all? -Of course.
Nerves are good, though. -Yeah, they are.
-If you're not nervous, I'm concerned.
Nerves means you're alive. You're in the moment.
You're right here in the moment.
-Yes! -They're to be used.
-That's exactly right. -Absolutely.
-I cannot wait for this performance
and I love you so much.
We're doing more with Taraji P. Henson.
Come back. More "Tonight Show," everybody.