Empire on Fox might be one of the hottest new shows out right now; but it's still been getting lots of criticism. And actress Taraji P. Henson, who plays the sexy and witty Cookie, makes it clear she's not bothered.

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Henson covers Uptown's February/March 2015 issue and dished on the negative attention the show has received.

"I'm just proud that people are talking. Everybody don't like Barack Obama," she said, pointing out an episode in which her TV son Hakeem (Bryshere Gray) called out the president for being a sellout.

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"People are out there saying that. That's what art is supposed to do: expose this s---. It's not like we bashed Barack Obama and the show went off. No, Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) jumped in his [son's tail.] That's real life stuff. So I'm glad you're mad. Do something 'bout it. Go in the hood and talk to the kids so they don't do dumb stuff like that."

While Henson is the woman of the hour, she confessed that she struggled with jealousy when she felt she was being overlooked for her talent. She said that Amy Adams was one woman she envied at a point.

"If you don't stay in your lane and you start looking around, you'll go crazy," she says. "I use to have this crazy thing with Amy Adams, and I love Amy Adams. You see her [consistently] getting nominated, as she should, because Amy does good work. But, it's like, 'Well, I did good work too.' But if you choose to stay in that place then you become miserable. It's a pity party and nobody cares."

She reminds fans that she is only human but also made it clear that she has "checked" the "ego" because "it's the devil."

Empire airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Fox.

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