Tyler Perry’s Straw: Ini Edo Reacts Emotionally to Taraji P’s Performance, Hollywood Star Responds

• Actress Ini Edo has singled out Hollywood star Taraji P. Henson for praise over her role in Tyler Perry's blockbuster movie Straw
• The Nigerian actress shared how she felt watching her role in Straw, adding that the Hollywood star had reignited a new fire in her
• Ini Edo also rated Taraji P. Henson's performance highly, drawing reactions from many, including the Hollywood actress herself

Nollywood actress Ini Edo has joined movie lovers in the country in reacting to Tyler Perry's latest film blockbuster.

In a comment, she eulogised Hollywood star Taraji P. Henson for her incredible performance in the hit movie Straw.

The Nigerian actress expressed deep admiration for Henson, stating that she has been a huge fan since way back.

According to Ini, the Hollywood thespian's acting was so immersive and moving that it left her in tears.

“Dear Ms @tarajiphenson, From the first time I saw you in Hustle and Flow, to every single role you have played, to now, Straw. Oh my goodness. Two straight hours of taking me deep into every scene, I felt every pain, tear, line, smile, twitch and turn, and every single move you made. You got me soaked in those moments. The most believable performance I have ever seen on screen."

Ini, who stated that there was no one like Henso, described her as a phenomenal actress, whose craft is deep, raw and rough.

"I had uncontrollable tears as you ripped that character apart. You are a phenomenal actress, and there’s NO ONE like Taraji... My all-time favourite Actress. Thank you once again for igniting that fire in me. Please take your flowers. GOD BLESS YOU."

Reacting to Ini Edo's post, Henson replied in the comment section:

"Thank you so much!!!! I appreciate every word. God bless you."

The post of Nollywood actress Ini Edo praising Hollywood star Taraji P. Henson's performance in Straw is below:

In related news, Legit.ng reported that Annie Idibia's daughter Olivia hilariously mimicked Tyler Perry's Madea character.

Reactions to Ini Edo's comment about STRAW

Legit.ng has compiled some of the comments below.

ayomidesound said:

"To my beautiful sist @iniedo I believe you can do more ur character in the movie industry is super professional classy,,,, run from Nollywood …. How many tjmes did I tell you."

tokemakinwa said:

"I’m still in shock babe… I hope she saw a therapist after this movie cos the depth she had to reach for this character is mind boggling. A queen."

odachio commented:

"She got me drowning in my own tears, she deserves a garden."

orginalspectacular said:

"Best true story movie, it's such a touchable one."

lucyyy_godfrey reacted:

"I literally cried like I lost someone or something I haven’t really felt this way or cried this way in a long time, she’s indeed a movie goddess."

Tyler Perry’s film presses pain too far – Analyst

A movie enthusiast and analyst, Manasseh Agbonlahor, has offered a critical perspective on Tyler Perry’s new film, Straw, following emotional reactions from Nollywood star Ini Edo and many other viewers.

Agbonlahor told Legit.ng that while the emotional responses to the film are real, the experience has left many viewers feeling drained rather than inspired.

"What has been most striking about the response to Straw isn’t just how emotional it is, it’s how exhausted audiences feel afterward. The film hits hard and then keeps hitting," he said.

He noted that Perry’s storytelling style, while impactful, often feels intense and unrelenting.

"Tyler Perry knows how to craft a moment that lingers, but here, he doesn’t just linger, he presses. And for many, it’s left them asking: "Is this what meaningful storytelling has to feel like?"

Agbonlahor raised questions about whether Straw reflects genuine storytelling or if it leans too heavily on trauma to create emotional impact.

He described Perry’s familiar use of pain, spiritual climaxes, and sharp twists as sometimes feeling manipulative.

“It’s like watching someone play a piano with only the lower, heavier keys. Moving, yes. But often oppressively so."

According to him, the film doesn’t merely portray pain—it forces it upon the viewer.

"Straw doesn’t just depict pain—it insists on it. And while many viewers resonate with its themes of survival and spiritual reckoning, others feel emotionally cornered."

Storytelling must empower, not exhaust – Agbonlahor

He further criticised the lack of space for reflection within the film’s structure:

"There’s little breathing room, little grace between devastation and deliverance. The result? A film that feels more like an emotional transaction than a reflective experience."

Agbonlahor also advised viewers to seek films that allow emotional space rather than overwhelming them:

“There’s a quiet brilliance in stories that allow the audience to breathe, process, and even disagree. Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight or Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland don’t shout their trauma—they whisper it, which is often more powerful.”

“A meaningful film doesn’t need to destroy you to move you. It can challenge, uplift, or disturb—without draining you."

He described Straw as “a cultural litmus test,” saying it shows both the public’s appetite for realism and the repeated commodification of Black pain:

“The film may aim to empower, but it often ends up reenacting the very cycles it seeks to expose. It reveals just how hungry audiences are for stories that feel real, even if that realism is bruising. But it also reveals how easily Black pain, especially, becomes currency in mainstream storytelling."

“Perhaps that’s Perry’s greatest contradiction: in his attempt to liberate through storytelling, he too often chains the viewer to the weight of the wound."

RMD 'snubs' Ini Edo at event

Legit.ng previously reported that actor Richard Mofe Damijo, aka RMD, was captured ignoring Ini Edo at an event they both attended.

The mother of one was sitting down when RMD entered the venue of Ghanaian billionaire Richard Nii Armah Quaye's 40th birthday party.

The actor was seen approaching other colleagues, but when Ini tried to touch his hands, he appeared to have swiftly moved them away.

Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a movie analyst for this report.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng