In the episode, Carter was shot by Simmons (Robert John Burke) and collapsed into the arms of Reese (Jim Caviezel), where she died. The death was a shock to Person of Interest fans, as television shows aren’t usually apt to kill off major characters. But Taraji Henson said that’s what makes the show so unique.
“Sometimes in TV you get too comfortable. You got to shake things up,” she reasons. “And I think that’s the beauty of this show. No one’s safe. Sometimes you got to shake it up, and I’m a ballsy girl so I was down for it.”
Henson added that she knew when taking the role that Joss Carter wouldn’t last the entire series.
“I always knew that we would have a beginning, a middle and an end,” Henson told Entertainment Weekly. “You don’t tell the audience “H’ey, she’s not gonna last!’ because that’s the whole surprise element, but that’s what’s so innovative about the show and that’s why I joined. We always knew we would do two, maybe three seasons.”
But Taraji Henson admits it was still a bit tough when the time finally came to kill off Joss Carter.
“It was sad. You portray a character for so long, you care about her and her life,” she said. “But art imitates life—it comes to an end unexpectedly. It was bittersweet, because I enjoyed portraying Carter. What a strong, powerful woman on television.”
Taraji Henson may be fine with Carter’s death, but fans had a hard time dealing with it. After a large reaction on Twitter, she responded to thank them for their support for the character.
