Taraji P. Henson as Cookie Lyon, Lucious' outspoken ex-wife and mother of his three sons, who served a 17-year stretch in prison for drug dealing. She sees herself as the sacrificial lamb for Empire Enterprises, which she built with Lucious, but then took the fall for when she was arrested for running the drugs that financed Lucious' early career. Upon her return from prison she is determined to bring the Lyon family back together and take back what's hers.