Mo’Nique has been on a media blitz since writing her essay for the Hollywood Reporter about being blackballed. The story has evolved from Mo’Nique’s being told by Precious director Lee Daniels that she was blackballed to her actually saying she was lowballed, and now saying it was Daniels who actually blackballed her.
In an interview with Good Morning America, Mo’Nique clarified her stance further.
“People were saying, ‘Someone needs to teach Mo’Nique a lesson because she’s not playing the game, and she’s gonna get in her own way of winning this award, because it seems like she’s choosing her family over Hollywood.’ I don’t think Hollywood has turned his nose up to me. I think that those are feelings that Mr. Daniels is having,” Mo’Nique told Good Morning America.
“And then he said, ‘You know, there were things that Mo’Nique—she didn’t thank the producers and she didn’t thank the studio, and that’s just not things that you do.’ Well, it had nothing to do with the producers, nor the studio. Mr. Daniels had a problem that I didn’t say his name the night of the Oscar awards.”
Take a look at Mo’Nique’s acceptance speech from four years ago:
Notice that she did not individually thank people from the movie, but she did thank her “entire Precious family.”
Gabourey Sidibe, who starred as Precious, had her say on Twitter about the recent drama surrounding Mo’Nique’s accusations.
https://twitter.com/GabbySidibe/status/572510399087702016
And not one to remain silent, Mo’Nique responded to Sidibe’s tweet as well:
https://twitter.com/moworldwide/status/572521668314308608
One thing is true: You can’t change someone’s perspective about the situation in which they’re involved. If Mo’Nique’s perspective is one that includes her feeling that she was blacklisted, then that’s her right. But the reality of the matter is, speaking out against it may actually do more harm than good. Hollywood doesn’t like to be called out on its BS, even if the one being called out is part of the small population of “black” Hollywood. But something tells me that Mo’Nique is going to be just fine.