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Mo'Nique
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Mo'Nique
Mo'Nique at the 2010 SAG Awards
Born
Monica Imes
December 11, 1967 (1967-12-11) (age 43)
Woodlawn, Maryland, U.S.
Other names
Mo
Occupation
Actress
Comedienne
Talk show host
Author
Years active
1999Cpresent
Spouse
Mark Jackson (m. 1997C2001)
Sidney Hicks (m. 2006Cpresent)
Children
3 sons
Website
moniqueworldwide.com
Monica Imes Hicks (born December 11, 1967),[1][2] known professionally as Mo'Nique, is an American comedienne and actress. Mo'Nique rose to fame in the UPN series The Parkers while making a name as a stand-up comedian hosting a variety of venues, including Showtime at the Apollo. Mo'Nique transitioned to film with roles in such films as Phat Girlz, and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins.
In 2009, she received critical praise for her villainous role in the film Precious. For this performance, she has won numerous awards including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a BAFTA Award. She is the sixteenth African American actress to receive a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and the fourth to win. Overall, Mo'Nique is the twelfth individual African-American to win an Oscar for acting; and the seventh winner during the decade of the 2000s. She hosted The Mo'Nique Show, a late-night talk show that premiered in 2009 on BET. On July 28, 2011, BET announced that The Mo'Nique Show would not be picked up for another season.
Contents
1 Early life
2 Career
2.1 Television roles
2.2 Film and video career
2.3 Theater
2.4 Books and radio
3 Personal life
4 Filmography
5 References
6 External links
6.1 Interviews
[edit] Early life
Mo'Nique was born in Woodlawn, Maryland,[1] to Steven Imes, Jr., a drug counselor, and Alice Imes, an engineer.[3] She is the youngest of four children. Mo'Nique graduated from Milford Mill High School in Baltimore County and attended Morgan State University.[4] She is a 1987 graduate of the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland.[5]
Before working in her chosen career, Mo'Nique worked as a phone operator.[6] She got her start in comedy at the downtown Baltimore Comedy Factory Outlet, when her brother Steve dared her to perform at an open mic night.
Mo'Nique admitted during an interview with Essence magazine in 2008 that she was sexually abused by her brother Gerald from the age of seven until she was eleven. He went on to sexually abuse another girl and was sentenced to 12 years in jail. After her twin boys were born in 2005 she cut all contact with her brother and they have not spoken since.
On April 19, 2010, Mo'Nique's brother admitted on Oprah to abusing her when he was 13 and she was around 7, and that the abuse continued for over several years.
[edit] Career
[edit] Television roles
She played the role of Nicole "Nikki" Parker on the UPN television series The Parkers. The show ran from 1999 to 2004. Mo'Nique was subsequently featured on a number of leading stand-up venues, including stints on Showtime at the Apollo, Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, and Thank God You're Here.
She was also named hostess of Showtime at the Apollo. She is currently the hostess and executive producer of Mo'Nique's Fat Chance, a beauty pageant for plus-sized women, on the Oxygen cable network. She hosted the first season of Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School on VH1, where she crowned Saaphyri as the winner.
Her 2007 documentary I Coulda Been Your Cellmate!, focuses on women who are incarcerated. Mo'Nique touches on the common factors that bring many women into the penal system in her interviews with individual women. The documentary was related to her filming a comedy special at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, also known as The Farm.[citation needed] In 2007, Mo'Nique had a guest-starring role on the hit television series Ugly Betty as L'Amanda, Mode's weekend security guard
Mo'Nique stars in her own late-night talk show called The Mo'Nique Show. Taped in Atlanta, the show premiered October 5, 2009, on BET.[7]
[edit] Film and video career
Mo'Nique has had a number of supporting roles in film. She appeared in the 2008 comedy film, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins with Martin Lawrence. She has had roles in Beerfest, 3 Strikes, Two Can Play That Game, Half Past Dead, and Garfield: The Movie, in which she voiced a CGI character but her role was cut from the movie. She also appeared in Soul Plane.
In 2005, Mo'Nique played a significant role in the Tony Scott bounty hunter thriller Domino, co-starring Keira Knightley and Mickey Rourke. In 2006, Mo'Nique was cast as the lead in Phat Girlz, a comedy about an aspiring plus size fashion designer struggling to find love and acceptance. The film was met with lukewarm response from critics and fans. It did earn back its $3 million production cost in its first weekend of release.[8]
She was featured in soul singer Anthony Hamilton's video "Sista Big Bones", the second single from his Ain't Nobody Worryin' album. She plays the role of a beautiful plus sized woman whom Anthony secretly admires because she has always loved herself.
Mo'Nique hosted the 2003 and 2004 BET Awards and appeared as the host again for the 2007 BET Awards. She received positive responses in July 2004 with her opening performance of Beyonc's single "Crazy in Love"; as well as in 2007 by performing her "Dj Vu".
Mo'Nique claimed on the January 28, 2008, Oprah Winfrey Show that Martin Lawrence gave her invaluable advice about show business: "He pulled me to the side and he said, 'Listen, don't ever let them tell you what you can't have.' Since that day, I've made some of the best deals I've ever made in my career because it keeps ringing in my head. ... It will stay with me forever."[9]
In 2009, Mo'Nique appeared in the film Precious, directed by Lee Daniels, portraying an inner-city teenager's abusive mother. She won the Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize for her critically acclaimed performance in the film. The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) awarded Mo'Nique with the Best Supporting Actress Award in December 2009. They also announced that Mo'Nique received the AAFCA's first ever unanimous vote in an acting category. Moreover, she received "Best Supporting Actress" awards from the Stockholm International Film Festival, the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the Boston Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Online, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the San Francisco Film Critics Circle, the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association, the Las Vegas Film Critics Society, the Utah Film Critics Association, the Detroit Film Critics Society, the Indiana Film Critics Association, the Online Film Critics Society, the National Society of Film Critics Awards, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and the Critics Choice Awards. Time magazine ranked Mo'Nique's outstanding performance as the "Best Female Performance of 2009," beating performances by Meryl Streep, Sandra Bullock, Carey Mulligan, Julianne Moore and Marion Cotillard. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, beating Penelope Cruz, Vera Farmiga, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Anna Kendrick along with a Golden Globe Award, beating Penelope Cruz, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick and Julianne Moore Screen Actors Guild Award, Independent Spirit Award, and the BAFTA Award.[10][11][12][13] It has been reported[where?] that Mo'Nique will next appear in the big screen adaptation of J. Eric's Novel A Place In Heaven along with Leonardo DiCaprio.
In November 2009, Mo'Nique said, "I own the rights to Hattie McDaniel's life story, and I can't wait to tell that story, because that woman was absolutely amazing. She had to stand up to the adversity of black and white [society] at a time when we really weren't accepted. Mr. Lee Daniels is going to direct it, of course, and I'm going to be Miss Hattie McDaniel. I really hope I can do that woman justice."[14]
[edit] Theater
Mo'Nique's first play was Eve Ensler's Obie Award-winning production of The Vagina Monologues, in March 2002. Mo'Nique, along with Ella Joyce (Roc); Wendy Raquel Robinson (The Steve Harvey Show and The Game) and Vanessa Bell Calloway (What's Love Got to Do with It), were the first all black celebrity cast to perform The Vagina Monologues. Executive produced by YYP & Associates, LLC, the show was Produced and Directed by noted theater producer/director, Yetta Young, and Producers Lisa D. Washington, Anita M. Cal, and Kellie Griffin.
[edit] Books and radio
Mo'Nique is the author of the best-selling book Skinny Women Are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World. She also released a 2006 cookbook called Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted.
Mo'nique was part of the Washington, DC, WHUR radio show with George Wilborn.
In 2006 she occasionally filled in for afternoon personality Michael Baisden when his contract with ABC Radio was in the process of getting renewed.[15]
In 2008, Radio One inked a deal for her to get her own radio show, Mo'Nique In the Afternoon (or The Mo'Nique Show) which premiered on several Radio One-owned Urban Adult Contemporary-formatted R&B/soul radio stations in July 2008. The show lasted until March 18, 2009, when Mo'Nique decided to leave to "further her career in television, film, and comedy."[16]
[edit] Personal life
Mo'Nique and husband Sidney Hicks attending the 82nd Academy Awards.
Mo'Nique was briefly engaged to accountant Marvin Dawson.[17]
Prior to her current marriage, Mo'Nique was married and divorced twice. She has twin sons Jonathan and David, and another son, Shalon. She and her husband, Sidney Hicks, have what she calls an open marriage, as she mentioned in a profile in The New York Times:

We have an agreement that we'll always be honest, and if sex happens with another person, that's not a deal breaker for us, that's not something where we'll have to say, 'Oh God, we've got to go to divorce court because you cheated on me.' Because we don't cheat.[18]

She later clarified her comments on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show that aired January 28, 2008. She told Oprah Winfrey that in her prior marriages, she was constantly searching for "that extra oomph".[19] Mo'Nique explained, "When I said I had an open marriage, people automatically jumped to sex. They automatically went there. But I've been best friends with my husband since we were 14 years old. When we say open, we're very honest. There are no secrets. Often times you have people that are married, but they're strangers, and we refuse to be those people".[20] She concluded, "I've had to sneak and I've had to lie, and I don't want to do that any more. But my husband is so awesome and so fine and sooh, girl....No other man can compare".[20]
[edit] Filmography
Film
Year
Film
Role
Notes
2000
3 Strikes
Dahlia
2001
Baby Boy
Patrice
Two Can Play That Game
Diedre
Nominated  NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
2002
Half Past Dead
Twitch's Girl
2004
Soul Plane
Jamiqua
Nominated  BET Comedy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Box Office Movie
Hair Show
Peaches
Nominated  BET Comedy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Theatrical Film
Garfield: The Movie
Rat
Role was deleted in final cut of the film
2005
Shadowboxer
Precious
Domino
Lateesha Rodriquez
2006
Farce of the Penguins
Vicky
Voice
Irish Jam
Psycho
Phat Girlz
Jazmin Biltmore
Beerfest
Cherry
2008
Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins
Betty
2009
Steppin: The Movie
Aunt Carla
Precious
Mary Lee Johnston
Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress
Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actress
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress
London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress
San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Stockholm Film Festival Award for Best Actress
Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize for Acting
Utah Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Village Voice Film Poll C Best Supporting Actress
Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated  Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting Ensemble
Nominated  Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated  Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Nominated  Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated  Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble
Nominated  Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
TV Films
Year
Title
Role
Notes
2003
Good Fences
Ruth Crisp
Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television
Nominated  NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
DVD Films
Year
Title
Role
Notes
2006
Rugrats: Tales from the Crib
Aunt Moo
Voice
Television
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1999C2004
The Parkers
Nicole "Nikki" Parker
111 episodes
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2001)
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2002)
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2004)
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2005)
Nominated  NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2003)
Nominated  BET Comedy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
2009Cpresent
The Mo'Nique Show
Herself
Host
Television guest appearances
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1999C2000
Moesha
Nicole "Nikki" Parker
3 episodes
2001
The Hughleys
Nicole "Nikki" Parker
1 episode
2002
The Proud Family
Boonnetta (Voice)
1 episode
2004
The Bernie Mac Show
Lynette
1 episode
Nip/Tuck
Evetta Washington
1 episode
2007
Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School
Host/Herself
13 episodes
The Game
Plus Size Actress
1 episode
The Boondocks
Jamiqua (Voice)
1 episode
Ugly Betty
L'Amanda
1 episode
[edit] References
^ a b "Mo'Nique: Biography C Actor, Executive Producer, Voice C Variety Profiles". http://www.variety.com/profiles/people/Biography/50715/Monique+Imes.html?dataSet=1. Retrieved February 22, 2009. [dead link]
^ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/monique-show-put-indefinite-hiatus-217730
^ John-Hall, Annette (2006-04-08). "Proudly 'phat' actress has a new, plus-sized role". AZ Central.com. http://www.azcentral.com/ent/movies/articles/0408monique0408.html. Retrieved 2009-12-16.
^ Crockett, Sandra (1994-11-19). "Comedian has fine time just being Mo'Nique Laughing out LOUD". The Sun. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/111908356.html?dids=111908356:111908356&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+19%2C+1994&author=Sandra+Crockett&pub=The+Sun&desc=Comedian+has+fine+time+just+being+Mo'Nique+Laughing+out+LOUD&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-12-16.
^ "Broadcasting Institute of Maryland". http://www.bim.org/news.php. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
^ The Oprah Winfrey Show, Interview with the cast of Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. Original air date January 28, 2008.
^ BET Coming Soon Monique Show Official Page
^ "Bottom 100". IMDb.com. http://www.imdb.com/chart/bottom.
^ "Martin Lawrence's Advice to Mo'Nique". Oprah.com. http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200801/20080128/slide_20080128_350_207.jhtml. Retrieved January 28, 2008.
^ "The Hurt Locker Schools An Education, Avatar at Brit-Snubbing BAFTAs". E Online. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b168157_hurt_locker_schools_education_avatar.html. .
^ "2009 Supporting Actress". The Film Experience. http://www.thefilmexperience.net/Awards/2009/suppactress.html.
^ "OSCAR PREDICTION CHARTS". InContention.com. February 23, 2009. http://incontention.com/?page_id=4595.
^ "Will Sandra Bullock, Mo'Nique Meet Their New Man, 'Oscar'". LexiB. http://lexib.net/2010/03/sandra-bullock-monique-oscar-academy-award-2010/. .
^ Ben; Walters (2009-11-15). "Comic Mo'Nique takes dramatic turn in "Precious"". The Hollywood Reporter / Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5AF0LV20091116.
^ Monique To Fill In For Michael Baisden
^ "Syndicated Personality Mo'Nique to End Mo'Nique Show". Radio Online. http://news.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/$rol.exe/headline_id=n19041. Retrieved March 24, 2009. [dead link]
^ Yarbrough, Marti (November 11, 2002). "Actress and comedienne Mo'Nique of the Parkers talks about her: career new book `Skinny Women are Evil' new fiance". JET Magazine. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_21_102/ai_94161427.
^ Lee, Felicia R. (2007-08-05). "Luckily, There's Plenty of Her for Everybody". New York Times. pp. 2. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9407E3D6103EF936A3575BC0A9619C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2.
^ Sheri Salata (Producer). (Jan 28, 2008). The Oprah Winfrey Show. Chicago: Harpo Productions, Inc.
^ a b "Mo'Nique on her open marriage.". Oprah.com. Archived from the original on 2008-01-31. http://web.archive.org/web/20080131132627/http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200801/20080128/slide_20080128_350_206.jhtml. Retrieved January 28, 2008.
[edit] External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mo'Nique
This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive and inappropriate external links. (April 2010)
The Mo'Nique Show official site
Mo'Nique at the Internet Movie Database
TheLoop21.com interview with Mo'Nique
[edit] Interviews
Mo'Nique Interview on Self Confidence with Al Sharpton on AskDoctorv.com
Mo'Nique Interview on PR.com
Booted from flight, comedian accuses C "Airline's actions won't fly with Mo" (Daily News, July 2006)
Interviews with reality stars on Vh1, MTV, and SciFi
Awards for Mo'Nique
v  d  e Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (2001C2020)
Jennifer Connelly (2001)  Catherine Zeta-Jones (2002)  Rene Zellweger (2003)  Cate Blanchett (2004)  Rachel Weisz (2005)  Jennifer Hudson (2006)  Tilda Swinton (2007)  Penlope Cruz (2008)  Mo'Nique (2009)  Melissa Leo (2010)
Complete list  (1936C1940)  (1941C1960)  (1961C1980)  (1981C2000)  (2001C2020)
v  d  eBAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (1985C2009)
Rosanna Arquette (1985)  Judi Dench (1986)  Susan Wooldridge (1987)  Olympia Dukakis (1988)  Michelle Pfeiffer (1989)  Whoopi Goldberg (1990)  Kate Nelligan (1991)  Miranda Richardson (1992)  Miriam Margolyes (1993)  Kristin Scott Thomas (1994)  Kate Winslet (1995)  Juliette Binoche (1996)  Sigourney Weaver (1997)  Judi Dench (1998)  Maggie Smith (1999)  Julie Walters (2000)  Jennifer Connelly (2001)  Catherine Zeta-Jones (2002)  Rene Zellweger (2003)  Cate Blanchett (2004)  Thandie Newton (2005)  Jennifer Hudson (2006)  Tilda Swinton (2007)  Penlope Cruz (2008)  Mo'Nique (2009)
Complete list  (1968C1984)  (1985C2009)  (2010C2034)
v  d  eGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress C Motion Picture (2001C2020)
Jennifer Connelly (2001)  Meryl Streep (2002)  Rene Zellweger (2003)  Natalie Portman (2004)  Rachel Weisz (2005)  Jennifer Hudson (2006)  Cate Blanchett (2007)  Kate Winslet (2008)  Mo'Nique (2009)  Melissa Leo (2010)
Complete List  (1943C1960)  (1961C1980)  (1981C2000)  (2001Cpresent)
v  d  eScreen Actors Guild Award - Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (2001C2020)
Helen Mirren (2001)  Catherine Zeta-Jones (2002)  Rene Zellweger (2003)  Cate Blanchett (2004)  Rachel Weisz (2005)  Jennifer Hudson (2006)  Ruby Dee (2007)  Kate Winslet (2008)  Mo'Nique (2009)  Melissa Leo (2010)
Complete list  (1994C2000)  (2001C2020)
Persondata
Name
Mo'Nique
Alternative names
Imes, Monique; Imes-Jackson, Mo'nique
Short description
Actress, comedians
Date of birth
December 11, 1967
Place of birth
Woodlawn, Maryland, United States
Date of death
Place of death
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mo%27Nique&oldid=460161308"
Categories:
1967 births
African American actors
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BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress
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Broadcasting Institute of Maryland alumni
Independent Spirit Award winners
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People from Baltimore, Maryland
Women comedians
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