Mo’Nique is fighting vehemently for both her career and her reputation.
The star’s claim that she was told she had been “blackballed” by Hollywood has not only made headlines but has also birthed a slew of new ones.
Most notable in the midst of the mayhem has been her war of words with ‘Precious’ director Lee Daniels – the man she says informed her of her relegated status.
Unapologetic, Daniels (who is enjoying ample success with his FOX series ‘Empire’), elaborated on his statement by adding that he feels the actress/comedian ultimately “blackballed” herself by bailing on promotional duties.
Still on the rebuttal trail, Mo and her husband/manager Sidney Hicks stopped by V103 radio in Atlanta this week to tell their side of the story.
A fascinating watch, the pair expand on the reasons for rejecting the requests (from the movie studio, Oprah Winfrey, and others) to promote the film abroad.
What’s more, while suggesting that she’s the latest in a long line of “friends” Daniels has turned on, Mo’ revealed that Halle Berry has fallen foul of his favour and that she witnessed him call the ‘Extant’ actress a “b*tch.”
Watch below…
Hmm.
As expressed in our latest TGJ Roundtable, for yours truly, the “blame” ultimately lay at Mo’Nique’s feet for playing herself by being so short-sighted; a stance that still stands today.
That said, context and elaboration are proving vital in this story. Why? Because despite ultimately disagreeing with the argument of Mo’ and her husband, it’s becoming increasingly understandable where they are coming from. It’s an incredibly complex and political situation where concepts of “right” and “wrong” have been gaussian blurred.
Still, even after hearing the actress and her hubby out (and putting that irrelevant Halle Berry comment to the side), it just comes across as a clash between someone who wanted her to “win” in the industry and had the savvy to help her do so (Daniels) and a duo who are too locally minded to accept the assistance – or the rules of the game.
We live in a world that, by way of the internet and e-commerce, has become an interconnected global village. Hence, to see Mo’Nique consistently justify her actions by asserting that she had fulfilled her contractual obligations “in America” sees her come across small-minded and unable to see the bigger picture. Promoting abroad would not only have benefitted the film (which she was a major part of), it would have positioned her on a high platform worldwide – ultimately benefitting her career and its longevity. Sadly, in all these interviews, it’s the one thing that doesn’t seem to be sinking in with her.