Monique Angela Hicks (née Imes; born December 11, 1967), known mononymously as Mo'Nique, is an American comedian and actress.
She debuted as a member of
The Queens of Comedy and earned recognition as a
stand-up comedian
Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage and delivers humorous and satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical acts. These performances are typically composed of rehear ...
. In 2002, she received a nomination for the
Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album
The Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album is presented by the The Recording Academy, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement in comedy." The award was awarded yearly from 1959 to 1993 and t ...
. She transitioned to mainstream roles starring in the
UPN
The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that operated from 1995 to 2006. It was originally a joint venture between Chris-Craft Industries (later sold to News Corporation)'s subsidiary, United Television, ...
series ''
The Parkers
''The Parkers'' is an American television sitcom created by Ralph Farquhar, Sara V. Finney and Vida Spears. The series ran for five seasons from August 30, 1999, to May 10, 2004, on UPN. It stars Mo'Nique, Countess Vaughn, Mari Morrow, Dorien Wi ...
'' (1999–2004) and the films ''
Phat Girlz'' (2006) and ''
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins'' (2008).
Mo'Nique was critically acclaimed for her performance in the film ''
Precious'' (2009), for which she won the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
, becoming the fourth African-American woman to win the award, in addition to
accolades at the
BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
,
Golden Globe
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
, and
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
. After hosting her talk show ''
The Mo'Nique Show
''The Mo'Nique Show'' is an American talk show hosted by comedian and actress Mo'Nique. Airing on BET, the series began October 5, 2009. The show's second and final season premiered on Monday, October 4, 2010.
Overview
The show ran all-new episo ...
'' (2009–2011), she earned a
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
nomination for the
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
film ''
Bessie'' (2015) and starred in
Lee Daniels
Lee Daniels (born December 24, 1959) is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He made his directorial film debut with ''Shadowboxer'' (2005), followed by ''Precious (film), Precious'' (2009) which earned him Academy Award nomin ...
'
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
film
''The Deliverance'' (2024).
Early life
Mo'Nique was born on December 11, 1967, in Woodlawn,
Baltimore County
Baltimore County ( , locally: or ) is the third-most populous county in the U.S. state of Maryland. The county is part of the Central Maryland region of the state. Baltimore County partly surrounds but does not include the independent city ...
, Maryland,
the daughter of engineer Alice Imes and drug counselor Steven Imes Jr.
She is the youngest of four children. Mo'Nique graduated from
Milford Mill High School in Baltimore County in 1985 and attended
Morgan State University
Morgan State University (Morgan State or MSU) is a Public university, public historically black colleges and universities, historically black research university in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland. It is the largest of Maryland's historically bla ...
.
She is a 1987 graduate of the
Broadcasting Institute of Maryland.
Before she was an actress, Monique worked as a customer service representative at the phone company
MCI in
Hunt Valley, Maryland
Hunt Valley is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States, near the site of the Maryland Hunt Cup Steeplechase (horse racing), Steeplechase. It lies just north of th ...
.
['']The Oprah Winfrey Show
''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...
'', Interview with the cast of '' Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins''. Original air date January 28, 2008. She got her start in comedy at the downtown Baltimore Comedy Factory Outlet when her brother Steve dared her to perform at an
open mic
An open mic or open mike (shortened from "open microphone") is a live show at a venue such as a coffeehouse, nightclub, comedy club, strip club, or pub, often taking place at night (an open mic night), in which audience members may perform on ...
night.
During a 2008 ''
Essence
Essence () has various meanings and uses for different thinkers and in different contexts. It is used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property (philosophy), property or set of properties or attributes that make an entity the ...
'' magazine interview, Mo'Nique revealed that she was sexually abused by her brother Gerald from ages 7 to 11; he went on to sexually abuse another girl and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. After her twin boys were born in 2005, Mo'Nique cut off all contact with Gerald. On April 19, 2010, he admitted on ''
Oprah'' to sexually abusing her over several years. He also was abused by family members and struggled with substance abuse.
Career
Mo'Nique portrayed Nicole "Nikki" Parker on the UPN television series ''
The Parkers
''The Parkers'' is an American television sitcom created by Ralph Farquhar, Sara V. Finney and Vida Spears. The series ran for five seasons from August 30, 1999, to May 10, 2004, on UPN. It stars Mo'Nique, Countess Vaughn, Mari Morrow, Dorien Wi ...
'' from 1999 to 2004. She was featured on many leading stand-up venues such as ''
Showtime at the Apollo
''Showtime at the Apollo'' (formerly ''It's Showtime at the Apollo'' and ''Apollo Live'') is an American variety show that first aired in syndication from September 12, 1987, to May 24, 2008. In 2018, the series returned on Fox with Steve Harve ...
'', ''
Russell Simmons
Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. He has p ...
'
Def Comedy Jam'', and ''
Thank God You're Here''. Mo'Nique tackles race issues in her stand up routines, for instance at the Montreal Just For Laugh Festival in 2000: "White and black people, we're just mad at each other, we don't know why we're mad at each other. We're not each other's enemy. We're not the enemy. It's the Chinese people we need to watch out for".
In 2005, Mo'Nique played a significant role in Tony Scott's thriller ''
Domino
Dominoes is a family of tile-based games played with gaming pieces. Each domino is a rectangular tile, usually with a line dividing its face into two square ''ends''. Each end is marked with a number of spots (also called '' pips'' or ''dots'' ...
'', co-starring
Keira Knightley
Keira Christina Knightley ( ; born 26 March 1985) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films and Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters, particularly Historical drama, period dramas, she has received List of awards and no ...
and
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr. ( ; born September 16, 1952) is an American actor and former professional Boxing, boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading actor, leading man in drama, action, and thriller films. In a Mickey Rourke filmogra ...
. In 2006, Mo'Nique was cast as the lead in ''Phat Girlz'', a comedy about an aspiring fashion designer struggling to find love and acceptance. The film was met with lukewarm response from critics and fans. It did earn back its $3 million production cost in its first weekend of release.
Mo'Nique's first play was
Eve Ensler
V, formerly Eve Ensler (; born May 25, 1953), is an American playwright, author, performer, feminist, and activist. V is best known for her play ''The Vagina Monologues''. 's
Obie Award
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...
-winning production of ''
The Vagina Monologues
''The Vagina Monologues'' is an episodic play written in 1996 by Eve Ensler which developed and premiered at HERE Arts Center, Off-Off-Broadway in New York and was followed by an Off-Broadway run at the Westside Theatre. The play explores ...
'' in March 2002. Mo'Nique,
Ella Joyce (''
Roc'');
Wendy Raquel Robinson
Wendy Raquel Robinson (born July 25, 1967) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as high school principal Regina "Piggy" Grier on The WB comedy sitcom '' The Steve Harvey Show'' (1996–2002), and as sports agent Tasha Mac ...
(''
The Steve Harvey Show'' and ''
The Game'') and
Vanessa Bell Calloway
Vanessa Bell Calloway ( Bell; born March 20, 1957) is an American actress. Beginning her career as a dancer, Bell Calloway became known for her film roles as Princess Imani Izzi in the 1988 comedy ''Coming to America'' and its sequel. Since the ...
(''
What's Love Got to Do with It''), were the first all black celebrity cast to perform ''The Vagina Monologues''. Produced by YYP & Associates, the show was directed by playwright and director Yetta Young as well as co-produced by Kellie R. Griffin, Lisa D. Washington and Anita Cal. Mo'Nique is the author of the best-selling book ''Skinny Women Are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World''. She also released a 2006 cookbook called ''Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted''. Mo'nique was part of the Washington, D.C., WHUR radio show with George Wilborn. In 2006, she occasionally filled in for afternoon personality
Michael Baisden when his contract with
ABC Radio was in the process of getting renewed.
She was also named hostess of ''
Showtime at the Apollo
''Showtime at the Apollo'' (formerly ''It's Showtime at the Apollo'' and ''Apollo Live'') is an American variety show that first aired in syndication from September 12, 1987, to May 24, 2008. In 2018, the series returned on Fox with Steve Harve ...
.'' She was the hostess and executive producer of ''
Mo'Nique's Fat Chance'', a beauty pageant for plus-sized women, on the
Oxygen
Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...
cable network. She hosted the first season of ''
Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School'' on ''
VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
'' where she crowned
Saaphyri as the winner.
Mo'Nique's 2007 documentary ''I Coulda Been Your Cellmate!'' focuses on incarcerated women. In interviews with individual women, she touches on the common factors that bring many women into the penal system. The documentary was related to her filming a comedy special at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, also known as The Farm. In 2007, she had a guest-starring role on the hit television series ''
Ugly Betty
''Ugly Betty'' is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from September 28, 2006, to April 14, 2010. It is based on the Colombian telenovela ''Yo soy Betty, la fea' ...
'' as L'Amanda, Mode's weekend security guard. She starred in ''
The Mo'Nique Show
''The Mo'Nique Show'' is an American talk show hosted by comedian and actress Mo'Nique. Airing on BET, the series began October 5, 2009. The show's second and final season premiered on Monday, October 4, 2010.
Overview
The show ran all-new episo ...
'', her own late-night talk show. Taped in Atlanta, the show premiered October 5, 2009, on BET.
She was featured in soul singer
Anthony Hamilton's video "
Sista Big Bones", the second single from his album ''
Ain't Nobody Worryin'''. She hosted the 2003 and 2004 BET Awards and appeared as the host again for the 2007 BET Awards. She received positive responses in July 2004 with her opening performance of
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
's single "
Crazy in Love
"Crazy in Love" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé featuring guest vocals from American rapper Jay-Z. It was written by Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Rich Harrison, and produced by the last two. "Crazy in Love" is a pop, hip hop, and ...
" In 2007, she performed Beyoncé's "
Déjà Vu
''Déjà vu'' ( , ; "already seen") is the phenomenon of feeling like one has
lived through the present situation in the past.Schnider, Armin. (2008). ''The Confabulating Mind: How the Brain Creates Reality''. Oxford University Press. pp. 167–1 ...
". Mo'Nique has had a number of supporting roles in film. She appeared in the 2008 comedy film, ''Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins'' with
Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald LawrenceStated in interview on '' Inside the Actors Studio'' (born April 16, 1965) is an American actor and comedian. Lawrence began his career doing comedy shows, including in '' The Improv''. After his first acting role in t ...
. She has had roles in ''
Beerfest
''Beerfest'' is a 2006 American comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and written by the comedy group Broken Lizard (Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan (actor), Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske), who also star in th ...
'', ''
3 Strikes'', ''
Two Can Play That Game'', ''
Half Past Dead'', and ''
Soul Plane
''Soul Plane'' is a 2004 American black comedy Parody film, parody film directed by Jessy Terrero (in his List of directorial debuts, feature film directorial debut). The film stars Tom Arnold (actor), Tom Arnold, Kevin Hart, Method Man and Sn ...
''. She voiced a character in ''
Garfield: The Movie'', but her role was cut from the movie.
In 2008, Mo'Nique stated on ''
Oprah Winfrey Show'' that
Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald LawrenceStated in interview on '' Inside the Actors Studio'' (born April 16, 1965) is an American actor and comedian. Lawrence began his career doing comedy shows, including in '' The Improv''. After his first acting role in t ...
gave her invaluable advice about show business: "He pulled me to the side and he said, 'Listen, don't ever let them tell you what you can't have.' Since that day, I've made some of the best deals I've ever made in my career because it keeps ringing in my head...It will stay with me forever." In 2008,
Radio One signed her to her own radio show: ''Mo'Nique in the Afternoon'' (or ''The Mo'Nique Show''), which premiered on several Radio One-owned
Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary, often abbreviated as urban AC or UAC, (also known as adult R&B,) is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have hip hop music on ...
-formatted R&B/soul radio stations in July 2008. It mainly aired on these stations that had a local lineup because some Radio One stations did not carry it due to their contracts with Michael Baisden. The show lasted until March 18, 2009, when Mo'Nique decided to leave to "further her career in television, film, and comedy."
In 2009, Mo'Nique appeared in the film ''
Precious'', directed by
Lee Daniels
Lee Daniels (born December 24, 1959) is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He made his directorial film debut with ''Shadowboxer'' (2005), followed by ''Precious (film), Precious'' (2009) which earned him Academy Award nomin ...
, portraying an inner-city teenager's abusive mother. She won the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023.
The festival has acted ...
Special Jury Prize for her performance in the film. The
African-American Film Critics Association
The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is the world's largest group of Black film critics that gives various annual awards for excellence in film and television. It was founded in 2003 in New York City. In 2023 ''Variety'' stat ...
(AAFCA) awarded Mo'Nique with the Best Supporting Actress Award in December 2009. Mo'Nique received the AAFCA's first ever unanimous vote in an acting category.
She has received Best Supporting Actress awards from the
Stockholm International Film Festival
The Stockholm International Film Festival () is an annual film festival held in Stockholm, Sweden. It was launched in 1990 and has been held every year since then during the second half of November, and focuses on emerging and early career fil ...
, the
Washington DC Area Film Critics Association, the
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975.
Background
Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles–based print and electronic media. In December of each year, the organi ...
, the
Boston Society of Film Critics
The Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC) is an organization of film reviewers from Boston, Massachusetts.
History
The BSFC was formed in 1981 as a society of film critics in the New England area. It was founded to make “Boston’s unique critic ...
, the
New York Film Critics Online, the
New York Film Critics Circle
The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) is an American film critic
Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: Academic criticism by film scho ...
, the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the
San Francisco Film Critics Circle
The San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC), formerly known as San Francisco Film Critics Circle, was founded in 2002 as an organization of film journalists and critics from San Francisco, California based publications.
Included in it ...
, the
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association, the Las Vegas Film Critics Society, the Utah Film Critics Association, the
Detroit Film Critics Society
The Detroit Film Critics Society is a film criticism, film critic organization based in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 2007, and comprises a group of over twenty film critics. To become a member, the critic must have reviewed a ...
, the Indiana Film Critics Association, the
Online Film Critics Society
The Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) is an international professional association of online film journalists, historians and scholars who publish their work on the World Wide Web. The organization was founded in January 1997 by Harvey S. Karten ...
, the
National Society of Film Critics Awards
The National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) is an American film critic organization. The organization is known for its highbrow tastes, and its annual awards are one of the most prestigious film critics awards in the United States. In January 2024, ...
, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and the
Critics Choice Awards. ''
Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine ranked Mo'Nique's outstanding performance as the Best Female Performance of 2009. She won the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
, the
Independent Spirit Award
The Independent Spirit Awards, originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards, and later as the Film Independent Spirit Awards, are awards presented annually in Santa Monica, California, to independent filmmakers. Founded in ...
, and the
BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
Award.
In November 2009, Mo'Nique said, "I own the rights to
Hattie McDaniel
Hattie McDaniel (June 10, 1893 – October 26, 1952) was an African-American actress, singer-songwriter, and comedian. For her role as Mammy in ''Gone with the Wind'' (1939), she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the f ...
's life story, and I can't wait to tell that story because that woman was absolutely amazing. She had to stand up to the adversity of black and white
ocietyat a time when we really weren't accepted. Mr. Lee Daniels is going to direct it, of course, and I'm going to be Miss Hattie McDaniel. I really hope I can do that woman justice."
In 2014, Mo'Nique starred in
Patrik-Ian Polk
Patrik-Ian Polk (born July 29, 1973 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi) is an American director, screenwriter, and producer. Polk, who is gay, is noted for his films and theatre work that explore the experiences and stories of African Americans, Africa ...
's drama film
''Blackbird'' as Claire Rousseau. She next starred as
Ma Rainey in the
biographical film
A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from Docudrama, docudrama films ...
''Bessie'' in 2015, for which she received critical acclaim, earning her a
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
nomination. Her last roles (in film or television) were in 2016. In May 2017, she said Lee Daniels, Oprah Winfrey, and Tyler Perry had been blackballing her ever since she did not promote ''Precious'' in 2009.
In 2022, it was announced that Mo'Nique will be starring in the
Lee Daniels' horror/thriller ''
The Deliverance
''The Deliverance: A Romance of the Virginia Tobacco Fields'' is a 1904 novel by American author Ellen Glasgow. It was the second-best selling book in the United States in 1904. Hackett, Alice PayneSeventy years of best sellers, 1895-1965 p. ...
'' with
Andra Day,
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor,
Omar Epps
Omar Hashim Epps (born July 20, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, and producer. Epps's film roles include ''Juice (1992 film), Juice'', ''Higher Learning'', ''The Wood'', ''In Too Deep (1999 film), In Too Deep'', and ''Love & Basketball''. His ...
, Miss Lawrence, and
Tasha Smith
Tasha Smith (born February 28, 1971) is an American actress and director. She began her career in a starring role on the NBC comedy series '' Boston Common'' (1996–97), and later appeared in numerous movies and television series.
Smith has ...
.
Personal life
Mo'Nique was married to sportswriter Calvin Watkins who she met in broadcasting school and had son Shalon Watkins, Jr. in 1990. She would later describe this marriage as abusive. From 1997 to 2001, she was married to barber Mark Jackson. In October 2005, Mo'Nique gave birth to twin sons Jonathan and David Hicks two months before their due date. In 2006, she married their father, Sidney Hicks. In a ''New York Times'' profile, she mentions that she and Hicks have an open marriage:
She repeated this view later on ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show
''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...
'' when she said that, in her prior marriages, she was constantly searching for "that extra oomph".
[Sheri Salata (Producer). (January 28, 2008). ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''. Chicago: Harpo Productions, Inc.] Mo'Nique explained,
When I said I had an open marriage, people automatically jumped to sex. They automatically went there. But I've been best friends with my husband since we were 14 years old. When we say open, we're very honest. There are no secrets. Oftentimes you have people that are married, but they're strangers, and we refuse to be those people.
She concluded, "I've had to sneak and I've had to lie, and I don't want to do that anymore. But my husband is so awesome and so fine and so—oh, girl...No other man can compare".
[
In her Netflix special ''My Name is Mo'Nique'', released in April 2023, Mo'Nique disclosed that she experienced sexual attraction to women, stating that she was "not all the way" a lesbian, but that "when you're born with that, there's absolutely nothing you can do about it. Nothing. And please understand that I tried."
]
Controversy
2009 awards campaign
In 2009, Mo'Nique starred in the indie drama '' Precious'' directed by Lee Daniels
Lee Daniels (born December 24, 1959) is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He made his directorial film debut with ''Shadowboxer'' (2005), followed by ''Precious (film), Precious'' (2009) which earned him Academy Award nomin ...
. For the role, she was paid $50,000. The film started to receive critical attention and awards buzz for her performance. The film's executive producers Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry Jr., September 13, 1969) is an American actor, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of Madea, Mabel "Madea" Simmons, a tough elderly woman, and also portrays her brother Joe Simmons and her ...
and Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...
, as well as the film's production company Lionsgate Lions Gate, Lion Gate or similar terms may refer to:
Gates
*Lion Gate at Mycenae in Greece
*Lion Gate, one of the entrances to the ancient Hittite city of Hattusa, now in Turkey
*Lion Gate, one of the entrances to the gardens of Hampton Court Pala ...
, asked her to travel to promote the film at the Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
, which she declined to do, saying her deal was with the film's director, Daniels, and that she had finished her contractual obligations.
Upon winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
, Mo'Nique stated, "I'd like to thank the Academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics".
Mo'Nique has since claimed Perry called her to apologize for how she was treated. In 2020, Mo'Nique performed a standup segment attacking Perry, Oprah and others involved in the feud. She has stated how devastated she was by Oprah's communication and described her as "malicious".
2019 Netflix lawsuit
In 2018, Mo'Nique accused Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
of racial and gender bias against her after she was paid $500,000 for her comedy special to air on the streaming service. She compared herself to Dave Chappelle
David Khari Webber Chappelle ( ; born August 24, 1973) is an American stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian and actor. He starred in and co-created the satirical comedy sketch series ''Chappelle's Show'' (2003–2006) before quitting in the middle ...
, Chris Rock
Christopher Julius Rock (born February 7, 1965) is an American comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He first gained prominence for his stand-up routines in the 1980s in which he tackled subjects including race relations, human sexuality, and obse ...
, Kevin Hart
Kevin Darnell Hart (born July 6, 1979) is an American comedian and actor. The accolades he has received include the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and nominations for two Grammy Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards.
After winning se ...
, and Amy Schumer
Amy Beth Schumer (born June 1, 1981) is an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director. Schumer ventured into comedy in the early 2000s before appearing as a contestant on the fifth season of the NBC reality competition ...
, who each received multimillion-dollar deals. In her statement, she stated:
In her statement, she also urged people to support her in her boycott of Netflix. She went on numerous talk shows, including '' The View'', in which she continued to fight against Netflix. In 2019, she sued Netflix, with her complaint reading in part, "In short, as this lawsuit shows, Netflix's treatment of Mo'Nique began with a discriminatory low-ball offer and ended with a blacklisting act of retaliation." In the suit, she listed fellow comedians who were paid millions for their specials, including Chappelle, Rock, Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. As a stand-up comedian, Seinfeld specializes in observational comedy. Seinfeld gained stardom playing a semi-fictionalized version ...
, Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He had his breakthrough as a standup comic before gaining stardom for his film roles; he is widely recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time. H ...
, Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American former comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer.
She began her career in stand-up comedy in the early 1980s, gaining national attention with a 1986 appearance on '' ...
, and Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais ( ; born 25 June 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer, television producer and filmmaker. He co-created, co-wrote, and acted in the British television sitcoms ''The Office (British TV series), The Office'' (2001–2003) ...
.
By June 2022, Netflix had settled the lawsuit with Mo'Nique, and on July 19, 2022, announced that she was set to do a new special for them.
Awards and nominations
Mo'nique is the recipient of numerous accolades, most notably, for her performance in ''Precious'', winning a total of 52 awards out of 66 nominations; in particular, the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
, BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Actress in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film Award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding supporting perfo ...
, and, the .
For her performance in ''The Parkers'', Mo'nique has received four NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
in the category of Most Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. She has also been nominated for several roles, including, a Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
for her work in the television film, ''Bessie'', and a number of BET Awards
The BET Awards are an American award show that was established in 2001 by the BET, Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate Black person, Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which ...
for her contribution to comedy productions.
Filmography
Film
Television
Specials
Tours
Residency show
* ''Mo'Nique Does Vegas'' (2019)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:MoNique
1967 births
Living people
20th-century African-American actresses
20th-century American actresses
21st-century African-American actresses
21st-century American actresses
20th-century American comedians
21st-century American comedians
Actresses from Baltimore
African-American female comedians
African-American stand-up comedians
African-American television producers
American film actresses
American LGBTQ actresses
American LGBTQ comedians
LGBTQ people from Maryland
American stand-up comedians
American television actresses
Television producers from Maryland
American voice actresses
American women comedians
American women film producers
American women television producers
Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award winners
Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners
Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners
Broadcasting Institute of Maryland alumni
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female winners
Sundance Film Festival award winners
Late night television talk show hosts
African-American LGBTQ people
Morgan State University alumni
Participants in American reality television series
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners
20th-century African-American people
21st-century African-American people
Comedians from Baltimore