PR.com (Allison Kugel): How long were you in Beijing, and were you able to bring your son along for the trip?

Taraji P. Henson: I was there for three months, and yes, I had my son there with me for three weeks because of course he had to come back to the states and go back to school. It just worked out perfectly that he was on summer break.

PR.com: You shot The Karate Kid last summer?

Taraji P. Henson: Yes, last summer. I got there the beginning of July and I didn’t leave until October.

PR.com: What was it like having to live there for a while and immerse yourself into the Chinese culture?

Taraji P. Henson: At first when you land, it’s like “Oh my God, I’m so excited!” You’re there for awhile and then you realize it’s a communist country and you ain’t in Kansas City anymore, you know? I kind of take on things sometimes, and I felt myself a little depressed sometimes. I had to snap myself out of it. It’s just a different way of living.

PR.com: When I watched the movie it felt like Beijing was this fun, cosmopolitan city. But you really felt the black cloud of communism over your everyday living when you were there?

Taraji P. Henson: Well I won’t say that, because if you stick to the touristy attractions, no. But I’m always the one to venture off. I like to go to where the people live and to where the pulse of the city is, the people who make the city run. So I was all in the hutongs. I ventured off the beaten path. And that’s when you can feel the weight. And then I started talking to a lot of the locals. They smile, but you know, it’s like when you’ve lived a certain way and then you go to different cultures. It’s like, dag! You realize how lucky you are! It wasn’t all bad. The people are beautiful. They smile, the cater to you, they really want you to have a good time. The plus side I did see is that because they are not driven by material things, that was the beauty. You know here in America we’re so driven by what kind of car you have, and what kind of house and what kind of shoes and bag you’re carrying. There it’s the bare necessities, and that’s refreshing.

click to read interview with Taraji P. Henson