Taraji P. Henson preps for 'Annie Live!', Kevin Hart makes it a merry holiday for youth, and more

Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan in “Annie Live!”; Paul Gilmore/NBC

Taraji P. Henson is one of the stars of Annie Live! airing Thursday, and she’s enjoying being cast in the role of Miss Hannigan, which was was portrayed by Carol Burnett in the 1982 Annie film.

“As a young, Black artist, studying in college all those years ago, and wanting to be, dreaming to be, I never saw myself as Miss Hannigan because back then, we weren’t into this nontraditional casting that we’re doing nowadays, which is so beautiful,” the 10-time NAACP Image Award winner tells Extra.

Annie Live!, which also stars Harry Connick Jr., Nicole Scherzinger and 13-year-old Celina Smith in the title role,