Mo’Nique Goes on Expletive-filled Rant Against Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, and Lee Daniels

Mo’Nique has  always spoken openly about being Blackballed in Hollywood after winning an Oscar for her role in Precious.  And in case you had any questions, she’s not effing with Lee Daniels, Oprah Winfrey, or Tyler Perry.

During a comedy show at Apollo Theater last night, Mo’Nique went in on Daniels, Winfrey, and Perry, calling them out for somehow involving White hollywood in her attempted demise:

Watch HERE:


In a 2015 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Monique had this to say about being blackballed:

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. You know, my husband [actor and producer Sidney Hicks] and I had to change things so we wouldn’t have to depend on [others]. So we do it independently. We’re very proud of taking the independent route, and we have a movie coming out on April 24 called Blackbird.

What do you think Lee meant when he said that?

That I was blackballed?

And that your husband was “outbidding you.” What was he referring to?

You know what I learned? Never to think what somebody else was thinking. That’s a question you would have to ask Lee Daniels.* There have been people that have said, “Mo’Nique, she can be difficult. Mo’Nique and her husband can be difficult.” They could probably be right. One of the networks said to [Lee] that I was “really difficult to work with.” And I said, “Well, that’s funny, because I’ve never even worked with them, but OK.”

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. They’re set to say, “Mo’Nique is tactless, she’s tacky.” That’s why I have my beautiful husband, because he’s so full of tact, ’cause I’m a girl from Baltimore. I come from a blue-collar town — and being from that place, you learn not to let anybody take advantage of you. You don’t let people mistreat you. You stand up for what’s right.

So I can’t answer why he said I was blackballed. There may be people that feel that way about me. But I respect everyone, from the homeless brother and sister on the street to the executive that sits in the highest office named President Barack Obama. I respect everyone — but we over-respect no one.

Did he approach you about maybe being on his hit Fox show Empire?

Well, actually, I was offered the role in The Butler that Oprah Winfrey played. I was also approached by Empire to be on Empire. And I was also offered the role as Richard Pryor‘s grandmother in [Daniels’ upcoming Pryor biopic]. Each of those things that he offered me was taken off the table. (Laughs.) They all just went away. But that’s just part of the business, you know? I can’t be upset at anybody, ’cause life is too good. It’s just what it is.

But you were interested, and the offers suddenly evaporated?

For each of the roles, [Lee] called me. He’s always approached me first, and I’m appreciative of it, because I think he is one of the most brilliant visionaries in writing and directing. I’ll say this: Whenever you do see me on TV again, or in the movies, you’ll know somebody played me fairly. People say to me sometimes, “Mo’Nique, you’re trying to be a mogul.” It’s like, honey, by no meansam I trying to be a mogul — because mogul stands for “money obsessed guys (or girls), usually lonely.” (Laughs.) I don’t want to be a lonely mogul. No.

*Lee Daniels issued this statement to THR in response:

“Mo’nique is a creative force to be reckoned with. Her demands through Precious were not always in line with the campaign. This soured her relationship with the Hollywood community. I consider her a friend. I have and will always think of her for parts that we can collaborate on. However, the consensus among the creative teams and powers thus far were to go another way with these roles.”

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7 Comments

  1. nilaja kamau says:

    Go head on Mo’Nique and Sidney!!! Some of us know “coonball” when we see it. there’s hardly any “black balls” in holly-weird any. “whiteballing” or “50 shades of greyballing” may be more appropriate.

  2. That would be ok with me if I never saw Monique in anything ever again. She’s ratchet

  3. Hollywood is not the only place people get blackballed. It happens in a lot of jobs. Its unfortunate. While we telling people to move on or let it rest, we must remember, people have feelings and when you step on their toes, they react. It’s important to her and she has every right to express her disappointment. That is a process of letting go. Especially if you believe strongly in doing the right thing. I am one of those persons, who won’t under any circumstances pretend to go alone with something I know is not right or I been beaten around the bush about. Just tell me straight out. Hey we changed our mind, you are not the one. I think that’s the point she is trying to make when it comes to principles. In this case, it seems that its personality before principle.

  4. As much as I love Monique’s talent, I believe that she’s one of those people who let that Oscar go to her head and affect her attitude and how she interacts with the very people she depends on for work. I can see her (egged on by her husband) being full of herself and making crazy demands to be in a movie, like 50 dozen roses and 100 bottles of Cristal in her dressing room! Everybody loved her when she was doing the Parkers but that changed when she got a taste of Hollywood. As experienced as she is in the industry, now she can’t talk her way into movies, but its everybody else’s fault? GTFOH! Seems like she’s gonna be eating humble pie for a while to come, she needs to go to plan C!

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