Taraji P. Henson on Viola Davis' Historic Emmys Win: I Just Thought to Myself, 'God Please Give It to One of Us'

Viola Davis took home the Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series

Photo: Dan MacMedan/WireImage; Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Taraji P. Henson has no hard feelings about losing out to Viola Davis at the 2015 Emmy Awards.

Davis made history on Sunday when she became first black actress to take home an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series.

Henson, who was also nominated for the award, admitted that she wished she had taken home the prize, but she’s just happy a black woman won, period.

“It was bittersweet you know what I mean because we all want to make history and be important to society and everything, but then I thought about it,” Henson told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview that airs Tuesday. “I was like, it’s 2015 and we have a black president and no black woman has ever won. Like this is weird.”

She added: “So when I went into it and I knew I was being nominated alongside of Viola I just thought to myself, ‘God just please give it to one of us so we will never have to say that again.’

“You know, let’s just break this barrier down and keep on pushing,” Henson continued. “I think the universe is happy Viola deserved that award. And honestly I would have felt weird if I had gotten it over her. Ya know what I mean. She’s been doing it longer. You just got to give respect and know when your time is.”

The full interview with Henson airs Tuesday on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.