Taraji P. Henson may have made it clear that Oprah Winfrey was nothing but supportive in her role as a producer on ‘The Color Purple,’ but Mo’Nique is not buying it.
As reported, Henson has been making headlines for both her stunning turn as Shug Avery in the hit film as well as her candor on the press run; specifically as relates to the pay inequality she says she faced as a Black actress in Hollywood together with the less-than-apt conditions she continues to meet on sets.
In a recent interview, the 53-year-old waxed candid about various aspects of shooting ‘The Color Purple’- including almost walking away from the film and claims that the cast was initially given rental cars to drive to set (rather than car service). She also bemoaned a lack of adequate food while shooting.
Henson shared that a call to Winfrey “fixed” many of the things she took umbrage with. A sentiment the mogul herself humbly echoed, while denying any kind of rift with Henson.
However, Mo’Nique is weighing in with a different take.
Full story below…
In an interview with The Root, the actress/comedienne was quizzed on Henson’s remarks. Particularly given the alignment many are making with her similarly-themed comments over the years about own experiences.
Not holding back, the 56-year-old (whose husband Sidney Hicks was by her side and chipped in) laid into Winfrey.
She said:
“Everything was, ‘Didn’t I champion for y’all?’ I was like, ‘Stop it. You didn’t champion for those Black women, for our sisters.
What [she] did was, ‘We can treat them like we always treat them, who gon’ check me boo? I’m Oprah Winfrey,’ You know everything should have been done when you showed up…Now when you hear our beautiful sisters saying, ‘yeah but it got fixed,’ it’s like we’re making it worse.”
Continuing, she added:
“So, when Oprah Winfrey sits at the helm and Taraji P. Henson says, ‘It’s an honor that we were hand-picked for this movie,’ Well, if they were hand-picked for that movie, those women should have been taken care of from the moment go.”
Hicks, who Mo’Nique calls “daddy” and has been married to for 18 years, added:
“If you look up the title of ‘producer,’ you’ll find that what Oprah fixed should have already been prepared when they got there. You shouldn’t have to fix that because it should have already been done.”
Mo’Nique concluded:
“Oprah got caught. That’s what happened.”
**********
As many will note, Mo’Nique has been oh-so vocal about her issues with Winfrey in the wake of the drama surrounding 2009’s ‘Precious.’
Mo’Nique ultimately won an Oscar for her performance in the film, but the defining narrative that has trailed her involvement has centered on her fallout with Winfrey and Tyler Perry (who were producers on the film), as well as director Lee Daniels.
There are varying takes on what the cause of the friction has been. Mo’Nique has publicly claimed that her issue centered on pay (and unfair promotional expectations related to it) as well as an alleged blacklisting for pushing back. Claims that the trio have constantly denied.
In the time since, Mo’Nique has made peace with Daniels. Indeed, last year she hugged it out on stage and on-boarded his latest movie.
As for Winfrey and co, she’s clearly standing on her stance.
With that, what are…