Mary J. Blige and Taraji P. Henson, both 51, are living their best lives! The “Real Love” singer and No Good Deed actress were seen living it up on a yacht in Sardinia, Italy on Thursday, August 4. Mary rocked a bright yellow, barely-there string bikini, and her long hair was braided down her back. She accessorized with statement hoops and chunky bracelets. Taraji wore a pastel multi-colored bikini, with double high buns on her head. In one photo, the longtime friends kicked back in an inflatable raft with glasses of wine as they chatted. In other snaps, they appeared to be laughing and dancing on the yacht.
While the two are now fast friends, it reportedly wasn’t always that way. Per HipHollywood via Nicki Swift, the duo didn’t exactly start out on the right foot. The glamorous actress reportedly said she was a huge fan and wanted to meet Mary at a Grammy party in 2000. However, Mary allegedly “turned her back” and gave a “dismissive wave.” Taraji said she was super grateful that they later became friends. “I must have said, ‘Thank you, God’ at least a dozen times,” she said.
In 2009, they co-starred in Tyler Perry‘s I Can Do Bad All by Myself, and the rest is history for the famous BFF’s! While presenting the Icon Award to Mary at Billboard‘s 2017 Women In Music Awards, Taraji said Mary has a “gift.” “She sings from her heart,” Taraji said. “You know that every word that she’s singing… she’s experienced. The fact that she’s bold enough to share her truth and get so many people through broken hearts, or uplift so many people… that’s a gift.”
Mary returned the praise when her best pal got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January of 2019. “You have been a total inspiration to me,” Mary said. “We meet people in the industry and they’re not nice. I’ve never had a friend that I can call while I’m on set and say, ‘How do I do this as an actress’ and you helped me when I needed help. And in my mind, that’s rare, because people don’t share and you’re a sharer. So thank you for being a giver and a sharer.”