Taraji P. Henson always wants to be known for her work and over the years that has essentially translated into a no-dating rule where her costars are concerned.

Appearing on the cover of the July issue of Allure magazine, the actress who plays Cookie Lyon on Fox's "Empire," told the magazine that work is the only thing that truly matters to her.

"I always wanted to be known for my work," she said. "Not who I dated. Not who I slept with. ... I have a gift, and my gift is acting."

The 44-year-old star goes on to reflect on how she entered the business at the relatively late age of 26. By that time, she already had a young child.

"I was smart enough to know reality from fantasy," she added. "I didn't want to blur the lines. This is a job that I have to do. I cannot get caught up in it. And if I sleep with these guys, why would they want to work with me again?"

Leaving Washington, D.C., for Hollywood with just $700 in her pocket, Henson also has a deep appreciation for money that others in the industry may not have.

"You have to stay professional," she stressed. "It is a business. I'm not letting no knucklehead dude come between my hard work and my money."

Recently, Henson reflected on her role as Cookie and the early trepidations she had about playing the part.

"Cookie scared the hell out of me," she told The Hollywood Reporter.

In fact, Henson remembers initially being angry with her agent for even sending her the script for a TV role, as she was currently working on a play.

Eventually, she came to view the role as a challenge that needed to be faced and the role of Cookie Lyon as a project she had to take on in the Lee Daniels co-created drama series.

"Art is so powerful," she said. "I felt like this subject matter ['Empire'] is dealing with is something that we'd never seen on prime time network television. And if we do it well, if we handle it well, then it's going to force people to have conversations that they are afraid to have, and that's what art is supposed to do."

As for her feelings about Cookie, she joked she now hates the character, who has sometimes overshadowed her in her everyday life.

"She has stolen my identity," she added. "I'm getting called Cookie everywhere. My friends don't want to talk to me unless it's about Cookie."