'Empire' Season 4 Cast News: Alfre Woodard Tapped to Play Cookie's Mother

By Denise See, Christian Post Contributor Monday, February 19, 2018

When "Empire" season 4 returns, fans are going to meet Cookie's mother.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Fox has cast Alfre Woodard to play Renee, the mother of Taraji P. Henson's Cookie Lyon. It looks like more drama is ahead for the Lyon family, as Cookie's reunion with Renee is described to be "turbulent."

The official Instagram page of "Empire" recently posted a photo of Henson and Woodard, who has won a Golden Globe Award and multiple Emmy Awards throughout her career. She has also been nominated for an Academy Award for her work in 1983's "Cross Creek." Woodard is also known for her work in "12 Years a Slave" and "Luke Cage."

But, Woodard will not be the only new face joining the back half of the fourth season. As previously reported, Ryan Michelle Bathe has been tapped to portray Celeste, who is one of Eddie Barker's (Forest Whitaker) ex-wives. Fans last saw Eddie on the brink of financial collapse, so he will ask his former wife to help him sell a major asset to save himself.

Apart from the arrival of her mother, Cookie will also be busy trying to save Lucious (Terrence Howard) from his crazy nurse, Claudia (Demi Moore). It can be recalled that the midseason finale of "Empire" saw Lucious getting kidnapped by Claudia. Sneak peeks have teased Cookie's search for Lucious, who is being kept in a remote cabin, chained, by his unstable nurse.

Cookie's pursuit will eventually take her to Claudia's cabin where she suspects she is keeping her husband. It is clear that Cookie is willing to do anything to save her man, which puts her in danger. Promo clips reveal that Cookie will also wound up hostage. Claudia will threaten to kill Cookie by slitting her throat, and Lucious desperately tries to stop her.

"Empire" season 4 returns on Wednesday, March 28, on Fox.