FILM & TV

Taraji P. Henson Will Play Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie Live!’

Award-winning actress Taraji P. Henson will bring more diversity to the screen in her new role as Miss Hannigan in NBC's Annie Live!
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Award-winning actress Taraji P. Henson will bring more diversity to the screen in her new role as Miss Hannigan in NBC’s Annie Live!

The story of Annie is all too familiar. A young girl named Annie is growing up in an all-girls orphanage, dreaming of being adopted into a loving family while dealing with the orphanage’s harsh manager. NBC will bring the story to life in a live musical debuting on Thursday, December 2.

Annie Live! is part of an upcoming NBC holiday special. Over the years, there have been several adaptions of Annie. From the classic 1982 film starring Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan to the 1999 TV series, and finally, an all-Black cast in 2014, the film has taken on quite a few versions with increasing popularity. 

Now, Taraji will take part in the Hard Knock Life as Miss Hannigan, the cold and uncaring head of the girls’ orphanage. The Academy Award-winning actress expressed her excitement for the new role on her Instagram page with a message saying,”…GET READY Y’ALL! I’m SO excited to take on the role and bring some holiday cheer with such a beloved production 👏🏾❤️.”

There were a lot of positive reactions to the news on Twitter, including one user who tweeted, “I think she’ll really capture all the resentment that character has that causes her to be so abusive to those kids.”

According to Variety, Henson stated, “Carol Burnett, who brought Miss Hannigan to life in the classic 1982 movie, is someone I have studied and idolized as far back as I can remember. So when the opportunity came to me to join NBC and this incredible group of producers, I jumped! Carol, I hope to do you proud.”

The network is doing a casting search for the lead role of Annie, with auditions being held virtually and rehearsals taking place later this year in New York. Taraji P. Henson, along with other cast members, will be on your screens on December 2 for the live musical adaption of Annie on NBC.