“It’s never too late to go after the thing that scares you,” says Henson of her new biopic

NEED TO KNOW

• PEOPLE has the exclusive first look at images from the Taraji P. Henson-starring Give Me Some Sugah, on Netflix Dec. 16
• Henson plays Lenore Lindsey, a real-life Chicago baker with an inspiring story
• “I live to produce true, inspirational stories of hope and Lenore’s story is the definition of that,” producer DeVon Franklin tells PEOPLE

Taraji P. Henson is bringing a sweet new story to the screen. 

Give Me Some Sugah (on Netflix Dec. 16), from producers DeVon Franklin and Tyler Perry, is based on the astonishing true story of Lenore Lindsey, who brought her dream of owning a Chicago bakery to life. 

Henson plays Lindsey, who, per a logline, “is stunned by an incredible discovery that inspires her to reclaim lost time, heal old wounds, and find purpose in life’s unexpected miracles.”

As local ABC affiliate ABC 7 Chicago and PEOPLE reported in 2024, Vamarr Hunter — a longtime customer of Lindsey’s Give Me Some Sugah — learned he was adopted, submitted for genetic testing, and was informed that Lindsey was his mother. 

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

PEOPLE has the exclusive first look at the Tasha Smith-directed, Randy Brown-written movie, which costars Joey Bada$$, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Russell Hornsby, Alexis Louder, Semaj Prather, Arischa Conner, Angela Davis, Caroline Avery Granger and Smith herself. 

“What moved me most was Lenore’s resilience and tenacity,” Henson, 56, tells PEOPLE. “She had a door slammed in her face professionally, and instead of letting that be the end of her story, she found the courage to go after a dream she had buried for 30 years. That takes something.”

The baker “kept choosing faith, even when she didn’t know where it would lead her,” adds the Oscar nominee. “That faith ultimately brought her to a discovery she never could have imagined. You just never know what’s waiting on the other side of taking that leap.”

“I was first made aware of Lenore’s story from a TikTok video,” recalls Franklin, 48, who is both a producer and actor in Give Me Some Sugah. “By the end of it, I was crying. I live to produce true, inspirational stories of hope and Lenore’s story is the definition of that. The idea that she stepped out on faith to open her bakery and that became the source of many miracles and personal healing for her inspired me and I believe it will inspire others.”

Henson echoes that sentiment, saying, “It’s never too late to go after the thing that scares you, to dust off that dream you put away, or to take a chance on yourself. And if this film inspires somebody to pick up the phone and reconnect with a parent, a child, or somebody they love, then that’s everything to me. That’s the kind of impact you hope a story can have.”

Lindsey herself tells PEOPLE about seeing her inspiring story brought to the screen. “I am both humbled and amazed, humbled that a small life from the south side of Chicago would garner such interest,” she says. 

“I have a new respect for creatives and the film process. They managed to tell so many truths about my 69 years in just over an hour,” adds the baker. “Thanks and blessings to all that took part in the process.”

Give Me Some Sugah premieres on Netflix on Dec. 16.

#Taraji #Henson #Delicious #Give #Sugah #Based #Inspiring #RealLife #Baker #Exclusive