Comedian, What she said

Mo’Nique Said She Was Blackballed After She Won Her Oscar

The ReadyWriter

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Comedian/actress Mo’Nique says Hollywood blackballed her after she won the Academy Award for her role in Lee Daniels’ critically acclaimed film Precious.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Mo’Nique recalled winning the Oscar and expecting to receive an abundance of higher quality movie roles. But that didn’t happen, and she said director-of-the-moment Lee Daniels told her why.

“I got a phone call from Lee Daniels maybe six or seven months ago. And he said to me, ‘Mo’Nique, you’ve been blackballed.’ And I said, ‘I’ve been blackballed? Why have I been blackballed?’ And he said, ‘Because you didn’t play the game.’ And I said, ‘Well, what game is that?’ And he gave me no response. The next thing he said to me was, ‘Your husband is outbidding you.’ But he never asked me what [salary] we were asking for.”

Mo’Nique said her husband and manager Sidney Hicks, who is also an actor, decided the best alternative for her was to go independent. She and Hicks have an independent film set for limited theater release on April 24 called Blackbird.

Mo’Nique denied rampant rumors that she is “difficult” to work with on the set.

“Whoever those people are who say, “Mo’Nique is difficult,” those people are either heartless, ruthless or treat people like they’re worthless. And that’s unacceptable,” said Mo’Nique.

Mo’Nique said she was offered the role as Forest Whitaker’s mother in Daniels’ movie The Butler. But Daniels gave the role to Oprah. Mo’Nique was also offered the role of late comedian Richard Pryor’s grandmother in Daniels’s upcoming biopic on Pryor’s life. But that role also went to Oprah, who obviously used her significant influence over Daniels in her shameless pursuit of an Academy Award nomination.

Published by The ReadyWriter

Writer, Published Author, CEO of ReadyWriter Production Company and Blog Talk Radio Host.

69 thoughts on “Mo’Nique Said She Was Blackballed After She Won Her Oscar”

  5. being from a particular place is no excuse for being tactless. the fact that she acknowledges being tactless means she can/could have changed it but chose not to.

    as far as oprah being to blame… O_o oprah been in the game a long time and she’s a bigger box office draw than Monique will ever be. that’s why lee chose oprah – money talks!

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  12. Well Mo this latest revelation definitely want help ya case O_o it’s good to be outspoken but sometimes ya tongue should be held…. Everything does not deserve a reaction O_o

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      1. Sounds like she didn’t do enough cooning and shucking and jiving for Hollywood.
        ********
        See I wouldn’t be able to kiss ass either to the “power” All that be…..that phony shyt is for the birds.

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      2. Sounds like she didn’t do enough cooning and shucking and jiving for Hollywood.
        ********
        Nope she didn’t/wouldn’t play the game. what did she expect?

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      3. Sounds like she didn’t do enough cooning and shucking and jiving for Hollywood.
        ********
        She refused to play the game

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    1. She prolley don’t even shave under her arms
      ________________
      She has sweaty armpits above. There has to be a bush under her arms. O_o

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      1. She prolley don’t even shave under her arms
        ———
        They told her “Mo you gotta get rid of that 25 years worth of underarm hair bish. She was like…No. Against my morals.”

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  17. “Mo’Nique said she was offered the role as Forest Whitaker’s mother in Daniels’ movie The Butler. But Daniels gave the role to Oprah. Mo’Nique was also offered the role of late comedian Richard Pryor’s grandmother in Daniels’s upcoming biopic on Pryor’s life. But that role also went to Oprah, who obviously used her significant influence over Daniels in her shameless pursuit of an Academy Award nomination.”

    Lets keep it real Mo, Oprah is a box office draw not you. Lee gotta follow the money.

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  18. I guess when they have the next movie called Black Yeti..the untold story of a woman in Hollywood who refused to shave… then they’ll call her 😆

    😆 HAPPY FRIDAY YALL!!!

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  19. maybe she should reach out to the folks at lifetime since they’re starting to make more movies that cater to black folks. i think she did an excellent job in precious and would like to see her in other stuff.

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  21. Why shouldn’t she speak out on the bullshyt that goes on behind the scenes of Hollywood? If she’s being blackballed she needs to tell her side of the story. Her being quiet only allows them to win. I’m glad she telling the truth. If you can’t get in one way, kick down another door. You never know who is reading/watching #nocooningin2015

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  26. She can blame herself and her husband for being blackballed. Her hubby thought he could push her on people. Thought he could get her to ask for more than she was worth. She won that Oscar on a humble. Then she tried to make a stand about not coming back to the Oscars until more of our peeps were nominated. Sorry sweetie, the game doesn’t work like that. They made her have several seats

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  27. Think about this: She didn’t campaign but got the Oscar for such a nasty, black image. “Selma” is campaigning, but won’t get the Oscar. I’m with mo’nique. And besides MOST actors are hard to work with.

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  28. No sweetie, you were black balled for the excessive appearance fee demands, horrible attitude, and going on record saying “I can’t eat an Oscar” to justify your fee demands. Monique’s attitude was horrible. I was surprised when she still won but I knew the powers that be were going to make her pay on the front end (no Oscar) or the back-end (win, but can’t find work).

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  29. Look people, I can’t play in your “house” and want to run it. If you’re going to play the game of Hollywood, this is what it is. You don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Anyone can be made a star, so don’t think for one second your acting, writing, singing, dancing is anything special. It is…until it isn’t.

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  30. We should be celebrating her for having a back bone and not sucking Holllywood off for an award….an award for an abusive, dying fat, black woman. In Hollywood if you don’t play their game they crush you.

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  32. Wooowwwwww! This is insightful. I wondered why she kind of fizzled out but it does make sense. Her refusal to campaign for the Oscar and and promote the movie during awards season affected the bottom line. A lot of Oscar nominated movies rent and sell very well, not to mention soundtracks. If everyone on the team is pushing it and she’s refusing to be a team player, TPTB (the powers that be) take notice. Why hire her for roles if she’s going to behave this way again? I’m sure this was a teachable lesson for her.

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  33. What’s wrong with her speaking out if they arent treating you right? Maybe she didnt play the game and kiss people ass. People that are cosigning against her..would you speak up if you aren’t getting treated right at your workplace?

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    1. would you speak up if you aren’t getting treated right at your workplace?
      ^^^
      Um….I like to eat. I like to avoid repossession any way possible. So I finds me some STFU and an after work drink and come in and wash rinse repeat the next day.

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      1. If I’m being mistreated or if I want something I’m not keeping my mouth shut. That’s crazy. I’m sure her demands were not more than what any other Oscars winner has asked for.

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      2. she may be ‘difficult’ to work with, and if this is the reason for the ‘blackball’ then this is ridiculous, I am sure there are many more difficult exceptionally talentless stars out there. But not taking part in promoting the film to the most important industry deciders for the most important awards in the world – this could be a problem!

        Again it is an industry and it is about selling, promotion and ensuring financial success, you can’t win the game if you don’t play it! – Sad, as she was truly excellent in Precious, an unattractive and harrowing role played to perfection.

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    1. They probably asked her to do something that was against her morals or her blackness and she said he’ll naw.
      ————-
      At the time she didn’t want to do the promo promoting the movie.
      Said she was nominated and that should be all the promo she should give O_o

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  37. We gotta stop going with the norm.
    Same shyt they did to Dave Chapelle cause he wouldn’t conform to what them white folks wanted…Glad she took a stand!

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  38. She black balled herself and she back stabbed Lee by even making that statement. She will continue to be unemployable in Hollywood. Way to go Mo.

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    1. She black balled herself and she back stabbed Lee by even making that statement. She will continue to be unemployable in Hollywood. Way to go Mo.
      ———–
      WORD TO BIG BIRD!
      Big Dummy!

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  41. She refused to promote the movie, which is actually a part of the contract for all actors. She doesn’t want to play the Hollywood game? Fine. Don’t promote yourself. But you still have to promote the movie, and all the work all other people put in. Otherwise you are not a teamplayer and nobody will want to work with you in the future. She did it to herself. O_o

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  44. No one wants to work with Mo’Nique. Because aside from “not playing the game,” she has a non-professional husband who does all of her dealings.

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