Last fall, as the cast of Precious geared up for their promotional tour, there were more than a few articles written about Mo’Nique. Unfortunately, not all of the pieces concentrated on her enormous talent or her stellar performance. It was reported that Mo’Nique was killing her Oscar chances by pulling a diva act for the promotional trail, and demanding to only do paid appearances to promote the film. Those reports were around for about a month, then they kind of died, and Mo’Nique has gone to win a Golden Globe, a SAG award, a BAFTA award, and numerous critics’ awards. So you’d think that someone was just trying to circulate some negative press in the heat of the Oscar campaign, right? Not so much. As it turns out, Mo’Nique is a little crazy about her paid appearances, as a new interview reveals:
Mo’Nique won the Golden Globe. She also picked up a SAG Award. And don’t forgot about her most recent honor at the BAFTAs. So easy money says the actress will be victorious at the Academy Awards next month. Right?
“No. No,” says Mo’Nique.
“See, with any of the awards, I don’t never feel like I got this, ’cause I think the universe would say, ‘Really? So you that special that you already know?’
“So I’m appreciative of when they do call my name and I’m appreciative if they don’t call my name,” said Mo’Nique in an interview from Atlanta, where she was working on a comedy tour “Spread the Love” that kicks off March 19 in New Orleans.
The 42-year-old actress-comedian has had a breakthrough year because of her riveting portrayal as the abusive Mary Jones in “Precious: Based on the Novel `Push’ by Sapphire.”
She talks to The Associated Press about her honors and the comedy tour.
AP: In the middle of this busy awards season, you’re planning a comedy tour?
Mo’Nique: Standup is my first baby. Like, I’ll be doing standup, sugar, when I’m like 97 years old. I hope to God I can still make it happen.AP: You’ve won so many awards. Will you take them on the road with you?
Mo’Nique: (Laughs) Hell no! No, baby, that’s too much.AP: There’s been a lot of talk about you not showing up early on to promote “Precious” because you were worried about money.
Mo’Nique: Well, when they say Mo’Nique was worried about money, I wasn’t worried about money. Mo’Nique has a talk show that comes on five nights a week and she tapes six times a week for that talk show. And yes, when I leave my home, I leave my home and get paid to leave my home, so I wasn’t worried about money. They simply said, “You know, well Mo’Nique we can’t pay you to do that.” … We said, “OK, baby. Well, then, that’s not something we can do.” Because, when I leave out, why ever would I go do something for free when I can go and do something and bring money back home to my family?AP: Has anyone, after watching the movie, come up to you and opened up about the past?
Mo’Nique: It’s been quite a few. But one, it was this Asian brother at the DGA (Directors Guild of America) screening, and he came up to me and he had been crying, and he said, “Mo’Nique, what I’m getting ready to say to you is gonna sound weird. But I am Mary Jones, and I was Mary Jones to my brother and my sister.” And we hugged and we were crying, and I said, “Congratulations for saying it out loud, and go get you some help.”AP: How does that make you feel?
Mo’Nique: When you hear that you say, “We’ve already won.” So when people say, “Mo’Nique, are you excited about the Oscars and are you excited about the (NAACP) Image awards, are you excited?” I’m excited anytime somebody wants to say, “You know what, we appreciate what you did.” But when you get that, that’s priceless.
[From Huffington Post]
First of all, one of the things Kaiser hates most of all is when Kaiser reads some celebrity talking about themselves in the third person. Second of all, I gave Monique a general pass on some of the early rumors of her diva act because I wasn’t sure that they were true, and because I honestly thought Mo’Nique probably had no idea how an Oscar campaign goes, and how much ass-kissing you have to do. That pass is revoked. Third, beyond the stupid move of putting yourself out there as someone obsessed with getting paid for every appearance during the heat of a campaign, how unattractive is Mo’Nique’s attitude in general? It’s like she spends her life keeping a mental tally of what she’s getting paid for and what she’s owed. Ugh.
Thanks to LaineyGossip for the link!
Mo’Nique at the SAG awards on January 23, 2010. Credit: Jody Cortes/WENN.
I thought (am I naive?) that the promotional part is part of the acting-in-this-cos-I’m-famous (and possibly talented) bit, and included in he astronomical salaries they get paid for doing a film?
Plus isn’t it part of their salary to do promotion? I am not a fan of hers. Loni Love could do any of her roles and do them better.
at least she’s honest. i’m quite sure that’s the attitude of a billion other celebs, except they’d cover it in some b.s., like, oh we had scheduling difficulties, that was all, i looooooove doing stuff for free.
She didn’t come across as obsessed about being paid for appearances, she came across as a woman who is running a talk show for profit and who needs to work to make money for her family. After all, she does have three children to support. And let’s be real, even if Monique wins the Oscar she’s smart enough to know that she will not get the same opportunities that come to white actresses and she can’t afford to jeopardize her talk show. I know some people will get upset about the race comment, but I’m just being honest.
Smith doesn’t like furry divas.
Just a Poster hates it when people talk in third person too!
Just a Poster wishes that someone would pay her every time she goes and picks up the kids from school..
Just a Poster thinks she needs to become a better Diva!
Just a Poster thinks she is quite over Mo’nique
And Just a Poster has grown tired of posting in third person.
princess pea thinks that Mo’nique is unlikely to get many more movie roles with an attitude like that. Not all movies can ride a wave of buzz like Precious did, and getting a slew of awards isn’t going to be enough to make producers want her on a project if she only wants the $$$ and doesn’t care about the project itself.
princess pea also thinks that as noble as providing for your children is, Mo’Nique is being pretty disingenuous in implying that she can’t afford to do a little promotion. Really? Best-selling author, successful actress and talk show host… Huh. Where the heck does Mo’Nique’s money go?
The third person thing – annoying. But if my employers wanted me to do a ton of work for them during my free time, I’d say no too. I do understand in this case the payoff could be an Oscar, and apparently she understood that – eventually – too. And the story she told about effecting people’s lives being worth more than an award was touching.
I like Monique, but I’m growing concerned that she’ll pull an Eddie Murphy if she doesn’t win. (Ditch the ceremony right after the category.)
@hmm, I agree with you completely. But if it’s in her movie contract, that’s another story, so I guess it would depend on that. If not in her contract, I agree…why give your time away? Although it does seem to be in the best interest of the movie and hence, her career, to promote it, so that may be a little short-sighted on her part.
But that third-person talk really bugs, ala Seinfeld’s ‘Jimmy’ — Jimmy really likes Elaine, Jimmy wants to ask Elaine out, Jimmy’s getting angry!
Good point CT! I can totally see that happening.
When I first heard about those rumors, I was appalled. Because contractually, actors are supposed to promote their movies.Even though, this was an independent movie, and the actors weren’t paid as handsomely, I felt that their vigorous promotion of the movie showed their passion for the project. So, when I heard about her refusal to promote it, I thought that, that was selfish and a slap in the face to Lee Daniels who has cast her in other projects. But you have to think a little deeper than that, the award campaigns are so aggressive that they feels like mini political campaigns. Yes the actors are excited about their work, and the movies over all, but it’s an exhausting exercise. Yes it does a lot for their careers, but ultimately its about the studios making more money off of the movie. And that’s where her request for money makes some sense. Because she’s turning down other work to promote a film that is ultimately making more money for others. It’s not that she doesn’t care about the movie itself, as she’s explained the impact it’s had and how that experience trumps any award that she may receive.
@ CT, why are you concerned? Who cares if the diva walks if she doesn’t win?
I trust she’s not getting paid to make an appearance at the Academy Awards.
Promoting a movie is part of the business of getting the word out and making it a success. Lucky for her Precious had a buzz and Oprah touting it.
Mo’nique is like Sharon Stone and Julia Roberts…I don’t know the reason why, but something about her just annoys me to no end. In my opinion, she’s not very high on the likeablity chart!
Y’know, she’s not getting paid to get an Oscar or give an acceptance speech either, so why go at all if she doesn’t give a rat’s ass for her peers? It’s not like it would be the first time an award was granted in absentia.
Actors do not get paid to promote their films generally. However, it is in their best interest to do so and with most talk shows etc, they do get paid to be on the show, usually aftra scale and a nice gift basket, but they still get a check. I understand that she has a talk show to do, but really???? She may have just talked herself out of an Oscar here. Gratitude is not something that you can buy or be paid for. Ron has said what Ron needed to say.
I think Monique is unlikely to get tons of offers for other roles because she isn’t exactly someone who can play a variety of roles. Sorry, but that’s a fact and race has nothing to do with it. Race hasn’t affected Denzel Washington and it really hasn’t affected Halle Berry, who could play any number of different roles (but apparently chooses not to).
I guess Monique doesn’t consider the free air mileage, free hotels, meals, gift bags, hair-dos, makeup and pampering “pay.” But, the Federal Government does. It’s all considered compensation. She’d better shut up before the Feds get her.
She puts it in an unpolished way, that’s going to come off as abrasive to some, but I have to say I don’t disagree with her. If it’s not in her contract that she has to do promotional duties then yeah, damn straight, you get paid! Nothing wrong with that.
Chana thinks it’s incredibly selfish to not promote a film that has done so much to help others and to change some people’s lives.
Chana thinks that Mo’Nique should be so proud of the work that she did that she should freely promote it.
Chana is getting annoyed with herself for speaking in the third person. Chana wonders why people do this. Chana is now pissing herself off. Chana shut up!
Probably in the minority but I wasn’t crazy about her performance. Too heavy handed for my taste.
It’s safe to say that she is not a team player. But I kinda respect that!
Lady wants to get paid for her work?
The horror!
So her contract did not say she had to do publicity! Its their fault!
The interview sounded fine to me. She said it herself, she isn’t worried about an Oscar so she’s not going around doing unpaid ass-kissing. She’s keeping it real and doing what matters to her. She knows her time is valuable and she’s not going to sell her soul to win an academy award. I can respect that.
She better be careful because if the word spreads that she doesn’t do free movie promotions the “industry” might want to hire some talented other actress instead. I’ve never liked Monique but Wendy Williams is my favorite!
It’s her business – but I doubt that she’ll be getting many more film roles with an attitude like that.
Old news, give her a break…
She said she had a talkshow and she gets pay to do that , thats 5 days a week. So why should she go promoting a film for free when she haves a paying job and a family to feed.
Lucy2 feels that if promoting the movie prevented her from being able to work on her other projects and earn a living, that would be understandable. But that would have been the way to put it – I can’t travel to promote it because I have other professional commitments. Not ‘pay me to set foot out of my house’.
Lucy2 also feels that if it’s a project you truly believe in and are proud of, and one that has skyrocketed your career, you should make every effort to promote it. Maybe you can’t be at every premiere and event, but do what you can.
“Why would I promote my film for free when I could get paid?”
Because that’s part of your JOB when you work on movies.
UNGRATEFUL!
First of all, this is old news, second of all she shouldn’t have to work for free! no one should! if it wasn’t in her contract to do this then she wasn’t in the wrong…celebs are paid for appearances/interviews/red carpets, and if she was making money by working on her tv show VS walking a red carpet for free…which one do you think she’s going to choose? She does have young children to take care of.
Actually, I’m less bothered by it all now that I’ve heard her explanation.
i agree, kate, sort of. monique won’t have the opportunities an oscar win might bring someone else, but i think it’s less a race issue than it is a weight issue. hollywood thinks anyone who does not resemble a praying mantis is “plus-sized”. halle berry and denzel fit the “mold” physically more so than monique, so i dont think theyre great comparisons. i also think there may be a shade of sexism here. would it be a big “offensive” deal if a man said this? or would he just be considered a “businessman”?
She has said things in the press which sound completely callous and ungracious. However, she pulls off being a child abuser like nobody’s bidness.
Maybe she could have worded it differently. I appreciate her honesty and her being upfront about her expectations. She is only interested in paid appearances. Nothing wrong with that.
CeeCee12 doesn’t roll like that but she can understand those that do.
I’m more concerned about the fact that she doesn’t shave her legs
Mo’Nique has always been a very straight forward performer who speaks her mind. Professionally, she’s a comedienne and acting in films is not her primary entertainment platform. She does not allow herself to be as restricted in her professional politics as other performers. She may rub those who are not as fearless the wrong way but she’s simply “being real” and not sugar coating the truth as she see it.
Those comments are career killers and she’s an idiot for saying them. Oscar or not, there’s not many roles out there for fat unattractive women, especially when they’ve proved they’re stupid.
If you’re an actor you not only care about working you care about art and you don’t treat EVERYTHING like a meal ticket. If every actor requested to get paid for PROMOTING and promoting every single film, well, now that would be exorbitant. It’s just great to be getting work. If you are professional and good at what you do you’ll get other paying jobs and not have to “milk” something. She has a pathetic, whiny mentality (well, I don’t want to judge) it’s possible she either very greedy, insecure or both.
Emily thinks that the only person who should be speaking in the third person is Elmo.
Emily also thinks that promoting a movie means more people will see and/or buy it, right? And possibly lead to other roles for the actors? Which means more money for Mo’Nique in the end.
Okay, initially I wasn’t impressed. But I am a sucker for witty self-referential comedy and celebs talking about themselves in the third person. So I am going to have to give Monique not only a day pass but a year pass on this one!