Gabourey Sidibe was not aware of Taraji P. Henson and Nia Long's feud on the set of Empire, insisting everyone appeared to get along.
Boyz n the Hood star Nia booked a recurring guest role on the hit show's third season, as a rival to Henson's character, Cookie Lyon. According to TMZ, the actresses would not speak to each other while they were working.
Henson was reportedly upset with Long's behavior on set and the way she treated crew members in the hair and makeup department, who reportedly filed an official complaint against her, but their co-star, Sidibe, insists she didn't hear about any feuds on set.
"Somebody told me that story and I was like, 'What? When was that?'" she told Watch What Happens Live! on Sunday (07May17). "You know, I feel like that's a girl thing, because nobody talks about (the guys) like that. We're like, 'We like each other so we're not really beefing (feuding)'. I never worked with the both of them, so no (I didn't see any feud)."
Taraji has not commented on the reports, but Nia's representative previously dismissed them.
"We stand by our comments... that Nia has always, and continues to be, a consummate professional on set," the representative told TMZ in March (17). "In respect to her working relationships with the cast, she came onto this project, in the first place, because of her long-standing friendship and professional relationship with (series star) Terrence Howard."
"We are not aware of any complaint, suit or case against her from anyone involved in the show, and we find the timing of all of these stories to be very suspicious, given that the series (recently returned to the air)," the rep added.