Fresh on the heels of Precious‘ win for best adapted screenplay, Mo’Nique has taken home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her harrowing portrayal of an abusive mother in the film. Mo’Nique was considered the front runner as she swept the awards season in this category, winning the BAFTA, SAG, Spirit and Golden Globe awards, among others. There were rumors of a minor backlash against her for demanding payment for appearances promoting the film, something she even admitted to. In the end, none of that mattered and Mo’Nique’s strong performance won over the Academy. Like her Golden Globe acceptance speech, Mo’Nique didn’t prepare and her words came from the heart. The 42 year-old actress gave a moving speech in which she thanked Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an Academy Award, for 1933’s Gone With the Wind. (Hattie wasn’t even invited to the then-segregated ceremony to accept her statue.) She also thanked her husband, Sidney Hicks.
First, I would like to thank the Academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics. I want to thank Ms. Hattie McDaniel for enduring all that she had to so that I would not have to. Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey because she touched it the whole world saw it. Rickey Anderson our attorney of Anderson and Smith thank you for your hard work. My entire BET family, my Precious family, thank you so much. To my amazing husband, Sidney, thank you for showing me that sometimes you have to forgo doing what’s popular in order to do what’s right. And baby you were so right. God bless us all.
[From Mo’Nique’s acceptance speech]
Mo’Nique has said in the past that making Precious changed her life, and she hopes the film affected other people too. “I’m very honored and grateful they recognized the performance, but we didn’t do the project with the feeling of, ‘This is going to get us an award.’ We did the project with the feeling of ‘Oh my God, this will change lives.'” Congratulations to Mo’Nique!
Yes! Yes! Yes! I loved her in Precious!
Her legs ought to get a Best Support award too or at least some Nair swag and an honorable mention.
Congrats to Mo’Nique for a job well done and an honor well-deserved!
@Popcorny
You know this site prides itself on non-negativity. This is only the third Black female to win an Oscar…she is not perfect, she is not White, she is not a size 5, she relates to real everyday people…despite the fact she is Black. If you cannot find anything decent to say, then go and drink a huge heaping cup of STHU (shut the hell up)!!
I am very proud Monique. African Americans are finally on the come up (especially in Hollywood only after 40 years, Hattie McDaniels, the first Black and Woman to win an Oscar) and it honestly helps by having an African American POTUS!!! I feel proud to be “Black in America” again! I cannot wait for your film on the late Hattie McDaniels coming up soon (produced by Oprah and Tyler Perry)!!
She’s a damn good actress! Happy for her 🙂
Go Mo’Nique! She really deserves it.
I adored her speech! I like that she didn’t grovel at the director’s or anyone’s feet. She thanked people who became before her and people that matter to her in her life.
She is jaw dropping in this role. Amazing. I’m impressed with her talent and charisma and also think she’s a very beautiful woman.
greeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttt!!!!
BK1Diva -take a swig yourself.
I’m an equal opportunity heckler. Sorry you got all caught up in weight and color, I was riffing/snarking on her unshaven legs. Lately it’s the first thing I think of when I see her (I have not seen her movie), but wait, actually, it’s the second -the first would be that she doesn’t mind her husband “stepping outside the marriage”.
She’s fine with both her legs and her statement about her husband, good for her but it still turns my head for a doubletake. I saw some irony and humor in a “SUPPORT” award. Phhhlllt.
And she’ll ignore and not worry about my giggling all the way to the bank, so I don’t feel guilty about expounding on the first thing that popped into my head (very hairy legs w/no nylons/”support”hose). There have been entire articles on those very topics (on this site as well) so it’s all part of the narrative, fair game and pop culture that relates to her like any other celebrity.
Her performance was like a clinic in what acting is all about. She put vanity aside and became the role.
She deserved to win.
@popcorny – well said. Mo’Nique (whom I love, btw) has been very vocal about her hairy legs and open marriage. Fair game.
i found her attitude repulsive
what she is so angry about, I have no idea. But she needs an attitude adjustment. she is carrying a lot of hate
I didn’t see this movie but the brief clip they showed of her role had me in tears. She gave a very powerful performance. Good for her!
I thought she did wonderful in Precious and certainly deserved this win. However, with that being said, I too found her attitude off putting. I happened to catch her press conference on E! and the way she acted was appalling to me. She demanded that they give someone named Mickey a mic and said, “It’s a easy as walking baby.”
She kept calling everyone “sugar” and “baby” to the point that it sounded fake and put on. Then she told the person running the press conference (who was calling out reporters’ numbers) how it was really going to go and who she was actually going to talk to. The last reporter who was supposed to ask her a question (according to the person running the press conference) didn’t get the chance because Mo’Nique added other people in the line-up.
I know she’s happy about her win and she should be but that’s no reason to start acting like a diva. Meryl Streep doesn’t even act that way and she’s considered royalty.
Monique’s performance was so powerful that both times I saw the movie I cried. She was incredible and so wasnt Mariah Carey. Congrats to all the cast of Precious.
@BK1Diva – She’s actually the fifth black female to win an Oscar, the others being Hattie McDaniel, Halle Berry, Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Hudson.
Not saying it’s any less of an achievement though!
I honestly didn’t care for her speech. She put down the other nominees, and seemingly the entire industry.
Monique needs to get over herself. Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey are the ones who brought this story to light, not Monique.
I can’t decide what color her dress was! In some lights it was turquoise, and in others almost violet. Very pretty, though.
I still think she should have promoted the film. I’m not an actor, but I’m pretty sure part of what you get paid for is not just acting, but doing press and promoting the film. I’d be interested to see if the director says anything publicly, or if people will not want to work with her from now on knowing this.
I don’t tend to watch any awards shows because I find them long, tedious and boring. Not to mention there seems to be one on TV every other week. But I did check in and watch the Oscars sporadically last night. I really wanted to see Mo’Nique win, and luckily I caught it. This was a big, exciting win! I am really happy for her and feel that she truly deserved it.
Yeah, I have to agree with those who say her hairy legs are fair game for comments and/or jokes. Isn’t that probably Mo’Nique’s whole point in rocking the hairy legs? Attention guaranteed.
Am so in love with her after this awards’ season run! Love her attitude, love her swagger, love her style….she is one in a million, and I hope she stays front and center.
I totally acknowledge all the anti-Mo sentiment and can see some hypocrisy in my loving of her…I am usually a stickler for politeness and etiquette but I make any and all exceptions for Mo’nique. She’s earned the top prize and the highest honor in showbiz for her work, and she’s done it while being a loud, proud, big, strong, black, amazing woman. She’s done it her way throughout, and I love and admire that. I hope she never changes, and I hope she makes lots more movies.
I also saw how she acted during her Press Conference. She was rude! She was requesting that they give all the black reporters a mic. Everytime he called someone she would say “NO SUGA WE’RE GOING TO 117!!” Its like you may have an oscar but you dont have class!! BABY!!
Mo’Nique owes nobody nothing. If she did a bad performance would the film have gotten as much attention?
It’s a team effort and she was MVP. At the end of the day they did well. She doesn’t have to grovel to anyone when she did her part!
@Iggles: ITA.
@Popcorny: WTF do her hairy legs have to do with anything?
happy about her winning! Nice acceptance speech too!
Good for her, loved the speech, loved the performance in the clip, loved that she paid homage to H.M. in both words & dress. She looked great too.
@C … same thing as you -unsightly & unintentional comic relief.
she looks pretty – great dress choice. that color looks amazing on her.
I thought her performance was awesome, and worthy of a oscar-but she rubs me the wrong way. Doesn’t mean she’s not a fantastic actress and that the award was well deserved.
And Hattie McDaniels did go to the Oscar ceremony to receive her award. There’s film of her own very touching and classy speech.
She really deserved to win as she was incredible in this role. She told Baba Wawa that she drew on personal experience of treatment at the hands of her ‘monster’ older brother and I LOVED that she admitted to standing in front of the mirror and accepting her ‘pretend Oscar’ as a child. She may have ruffled some feathers last night (and I wish she had singled out Lee and Gabourey personally in her speech) but more power to her.
PS Julia Roberts got flack for the hairy armpits all those years ago so apparently a woman’s hair is a matter of huge publicity.
I guess alot of people are forgetting that Mo’Nique is co-me-di-enne. So yes, there are times when she’s going to seem pretty obnoxious. Also, not that they won any Oscars, but I’ve seen Andrew Dice Clay and Jay Leno act a little obnoxious in the public eye as well.
Yes, her hairy legs are a mess, but I won’t let that take away for her win, even if more shallow people do (what do you expect from a gossip site). You’re probably the same people who flip out when the see pubic hair on a woman. Alot of detraction is just dumb. I know some people attempt to be funny and clever or here, but I don’t know what worse, their failure at it, or those that think it’s funny.
Popcorny, you may want to back off on the porn a little. Most humans, including women are born with hair. Sounds like you’re starting to develop an unrealistic expectation.
Congratulations to Mo’Nique! She deserved to win an Oscar and her acceptance speech was very appropriate. Iggles you’re absolutely right. Mo’Nique handled her business and she does not owe anybody a thing. She did a very professional job of acknowledging all the key players in her acceptance speech and that’s that! Love her or hate her, she’s all business which is why she has survived as long as she has in the entertainment business.
@Kolby — I listened to her Oscar acceptance speech. There was absolutely nothing derogatory about it. She plainly stated “a fact of life”. The other nominees spent time and money trying to sway votes but in the end, Mo’Nique still won based on her stronger performance. It happens from time to time. It’s something called JUSTICE!!!
@Kate — Put away the “hateorade”. Mo’Nique rightfully acknowledged the significant role that both Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey played in promoting Precious in her acceptance speech. The sister “rocked the role and won”! As an African American, I’m very proud of her. She’s simply not a “step and fetch it” boot kisser which is certainly refreshing.
A biology lesson, psycho-analysis and stern advice to “Back off the porn” because I find excessively hairy legs on a woman humorous and/or unattractive? Highlarious!
Well, why don’t I just go toast my eyeballs up in the fireplace like marshmallows so I don’t notice anything unusual, odd or (in my opinion) unsightly and maybe even stick my fingers in too in case I find my way back to the computer to disturb folks about the weird things I hear.
“Porn” -egad, get YOUR head out of the gutter (where you claim mine to be) and go look at the legs, big or small, of 99.9% of female celebrities wearing dresses … -the hairy one(s) (*cough*Monique’s*cough*) stand out and makes quite a startling impression.
ANYONE ELSE WANNA PIECE?!!
I am on vacay with nothing better to do.
;^D
Popcorny – I seriously have no idea why you’re being singled out right now. Has anyone ever even read this website before? I feel like I’m in the g-damn twilight zone.
It’s abnormal in Hollyweird to not shave – it has nothing to do with biology, race, or porn. Seriously, are these the best critcisms/comebacks one can come up with with the time the internet-response allows?
And I really regret throwing my hat into this but seriously, African Americans “on the up” in this country?! The highest office/position that can be held occupied by an African American. If that’s not the sign that you’ve made it (all the way) what is? Criminy. There’s discrimination still yes, but there is and will be discrimination against EVERYONE forever. I’m skinny and blonde and I get assumptions made about my intelligence, experience, awareness, knowledge, etc. based on my appearance often. Now *that* is a biological part of life. When is this conversation going to be put to rest?
This is a gossip website–why the hell is everyone so damn serious? LoL Dozens have people have posted on Mo’nique’s hairy legs. She herself has brought up the subject on more than one occasion. So, if popcorny wants to mention it, let ’em (it’s the first thing I thought of when I saw her on the red carpet too!).
@Mollination: I totally agree with pretty much everything you said. Not shaving is unusual period–not just in Hollywood. And I’m tired of hearing how the white man is stomping down everyone else. There’s all kinds of discrimination everywhere-gender, sexual preference, education, physical appearance, etc. etc. etc. I totally discriminate against people with terrible spelling and grammar–sue me. Hollywood in it’s own little bubble has forgotten that it’s probably one of the least discriminatory places in this country. People can be openly bi, gay, straight, sleep around, do drugs, be anorexic or obese, and still get recognition and jobs. Not so much elsewhere…
@ mollination:
“The highest office/position that can be held occupied by an African American. If that’s not the sign that you’ve made it (all the way) what is?”
Right, because tokenism solves all the world’s problems? Putting a band aid on a bullet wound won’t stop the bleeding, will it?
Does Kathryn Bigelow’s Best Director win mean that Hollywood is no longer a boy’s club? I think not.
Let’s take these achievements for what they are: wonderful individual achievements. These are milestones, which I am proud to celebrate, however let’s not read into Mo’Nique’s win or Obama’s political success as events that improve the day to day life of every black american. It cheapens what they have accomplished and takes away from who they are as individuals!
It absolutely does to say, “Well since Mo’Nique has done it why can’t you?” or “See Obama’s in office, now quit whining about redlining..” (please Google if you do not know what that is).
Oh wow, Popcorny thinks she made a funny. 🙄
Run on back to your village, hon, they’re an idiot short.
Sorry, but Mo just doesn’t do it for me. I don’t care if she’s black or plus sized or whatever. She’s being held up as some type of representative for black actors, and I just don’t like the way she carries herself. But she did work hard, so I won’t take that away from her.
@Sincerity: absolutely. Monique got out there and handled her business. She’s a tough, assertive black women and some people see that as a threat. Their problem, not hers.
@mollination: Have you ever been denied a job or a mortgage or a place to live on the basis of being skinny and blond? I thought not.
Gross. I think C likes me, she’s giving me her come-hither eyes & scratchy mating call, but I will resist valiantly like I did with that Carla from Cheers.
*shudders*
-I will not be seduced & tricked into going to her Village!
… also, that quote “I thought not” -huge understatement.
@ Mollination and Scarlet Vixen I am sick of people like you telling others that they need to get over discrimination because you experience it too. You obviously have no idea of the indemic racism that still exist in this country. If you did you wouldn’t make such ridiculous comments. By the way Mollination, would you trade being skinny and blonde for being fat and black? If the answer is no, than you should understand why this conversation can’t be put to rest.
i saw it as soon as it came out, and raved for Mo to win ever since – i waited. then sat thru that whole shebang so i could watch her win!!! …… then her predictable loud & proud routine was such a letdown. i dont need to be schooled. and i resent being subjected to it. chip-on-shoulder is tired, okay.
after watching her acceptance speech,i felt like she was so rude rather than humbel.i dont think she made her moment the right way.thatsssss sooooooo ruuudeeeeee.make me feel like she was a wrong choice for that award,she definately needs anger management therapy.
Go Mo’Nique! Hope she kills it on tour too!
The other black women to win supporting actress Academy Awards were Jennifer Hudson for “Dreamgirls” (2006) and Whoopi Goldberg for “Ghost” (1990). Halle Berry is the only black woman to win the best actress honor for “Monster’s Ball,”