She graced the lineup of our New Regime, and Taraji P. Henson -- who plays Brad Pitt's mother in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -- has nowhere to go but up.

Were invasive paparazzi a problem on the set of Benjamin Button? Oh my god, they risked their lives to get those pictures and I felt so bad for Brad [Pitt] and Cate [Blanchett]. There was one especially scary episode when cameras followed Cate and her young sons into Whole Foods. She was so nervous. She had to send for a decoy van, and she sat in the backseat shivering. Another time, some guy followed Brad’s security to one of his homes and stole his trashcan.

And the biggest misconception is that since they’re huge stars, they’re untouchable. That’s exactly it! I pray that it never gets that out of control for me. Already, it’s a little insane when I go back home to Washington, D.C.

The locals must be so proud. They are, but I’m still not used to people knowing my name. I’ll be walking down the street and someone will say, “Taraji!” And, of course, I’m thinking it’s somebody I know. So I’m all like, Hey, how are you? The last time I was home, these people were screaming, “Oh my god, that’s Taraji Henson!” That’s when I’m like, Okay, what terrible things are you going to do to me?

In what ways does acting fulfill you creatively? Baby, I’ve always been a ham. I used to pose in front of the mirror as if I was in a photo shoot every single day. I love every aspect of the business. I’ve spent a lot of money on formal training and it’s just something that I can’t imagine not doing. What I find so fulfilling is that art really does create life, and it can change lives, save lives. My hope is to change lives through my craft. When I work, it’s like I loan out my body. I speak to my character at night. I’m like, Use my body as a vessel, and talk through me.

It must have been intimidating to work alongside Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt. Here’s the thing: I’ve never considered myself a B-list actor. Early on, I made a list of the people I wanted my name to appear alongside, so while filming, I felt like I was where I belonged.

What was your first big break? It was when my manager signed me. For the audition, he said, “Do two monologues and knock my socks off.” After the second monologue -- I was feeling pretty cocky -- I sat down in front of him and said, So, did I knock your socks off? And right then and there, he took them off and gave them to me.

What’s the secret to your professional success? John Singleton told me that my strength is in my eyes. He told me, “You don’t have to say anything -- all you have to do is think it and it will come through in your eyes.”

Can you recall your biggest “Hollywood moment”? Singing at the Oscars. I remember thinking, Okay, you always wanted to be here ... Now what?

You must have been so nervous. Well, I had lost my father two weeks prior to the broadcast. I knew I had to get through the performance, and I knew he would have wanted me too, so I locked into a zone, and don’t remember anything of it.

What is the worst thing you’ve read about yourself? They announced on TVGuide.com that I was doing a three-episode arc on Eli Stone, and until then I had never really read the blogs. But I scrolled down and there was one comment that said, “Well, that’s just great -- she was horrible on Boston Legal, she delivered her lines so wooden and she’s a horrible actress.” I chuckled for a minute. And then I got really angry, but I let it go. You can’t please everybody, and I most definitely don’t try to.

Awards season is coming up, and expectations are high for your performance. Part of you must be just dying to take home Oscar. Abso-fucking-lutely! Those are your peers in that audience -- those are past Oscar winners. It’s like God reaching down and saying, “Yes, Taraji, you are the one!” But you know what? I would like to be the first African American female to take home more than one, for leading and supporting. I think that’s how this whole thing is going to end.

Photo: Victoria Will, photographed at the Empire Hotel