Taraji P. Henson Wants to Move Out of the Country But Says One Important Thing Is Holding Her Back (Exclusive)

The award-winning actress, who just announced a new partnership with Seven Daughters wine, opens up about her dream to relocate and why that’s on hold

wants to see what life is like outside of the U.S.

“I’ve been thinking about that for a long time,” the star, 53, tells PEOPLE. “I was thinking about it the first time I went to Italy. I was like ‘Oh, I could live here.”

Henson previously opened up about back in 2022 when she discussed coping with the difficult political and social climate in America at that time. “That’s something that comes with 50,” she said then, “you get tired of fighting. I’m tired.”

Though she’s mulled the big move for a few years, now she’s sharing what has been holding her back from taking the leap.

“The thing is, is that I still have family here, so I’m kind of torn,” she explains. “I’m torn. But I do want a space somewhere outside of the country. I absolutely do. That’s always been a dream of mine. But who knows, you’ve got to see. Because you want to feel safe you’re going to.”

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Her wheels are still turning on that, but she’s getting an actual taste of Italy through her latest venture, partnering with The Terlato Wine Group’s Seven Daughters line, as the brand’s new strategic adviser and creative collaborator. This week she helped re-launch their fan-favorite Moscato.

“I’m not going to pretend I know everything about wine,” says Henson. “Even though I like wine and I know how to pair it, I still don’t know a lot about it.” But she thinks that’s what makes her a great spokesperson. “Not knowing is what prevents a lot of people from indulging in wine because they feel intimidated it. It can take someone like me that they trust.”

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And a big reason she signed on, she says, “was because the moscato is really, really good. Sometimes Moscato gets a bad name, it’s too sweet, it’s too dry, it’s too bad. But this is perfect.”

A bottle has become a new feature in the care packages, full of her TPH products that she’s known to send friends and family. And she’s planning to have a few on hand for her upcoming holiday visits. But first, some travel.

“I am going to do Dubai for the first two weeks in December, but then I’m going wherever my grandma’s going. That’s where I’m going to be,” she says. “I was going to do a whole Asian tour, go to Japan and Phuket,” but similar to why she hasn’t put down any roots overseas yet, these days, “I just want to be with my family.”