Yes, Taraji P. Henson Requested Taye Diggs As Her New Empire Love Interest and Got Him

It’s Cookie’s world and we’re all just living in it!

Empire returns for its highly anticipated third season tonight on Fox, and with a new season comes a new love interest for Cookie (Taraji P. Henson). And, because Cookie gets what Cookie wants, Henson was able to hand-pick the actor playing her new man: Taye Diggs.

“Well, you know, I did request him,” Henson told E! News at the Empire premiere in Chicago on Tuesday night. “I’ve never worked with Taye before. It was like, why not?”

See, we told you it’s good to be Cookie!

So did Diggs, who stars on TNT’s Murder in the First, live up to Henson’s expectations? “He is so much fun,” the Emmy nominee gushed. “He is just so incredibly funny. And it’s like a dry humor, it’s like that Seinfeld humor, like you have to be on your toes. And some morning it’s too early, Taye!”

Diggs will make his debut as Angelo Dubois, a city councilman hailing from a respected and affluent New York family, in tonight’s premiere. “He’s a politician, she’s an ex-con…anything’s possible when it comes to love,” Henson joked of the pairing, before revealing his character will bring out a new side of Cookie. Press play on the video above to hear more from Henson about the new relationship.

Empire returns tonight at 9 p.m. on Fox. And keep checking back with E! News  for more season three scoop straight from the stars.