Mo’Nique has been known for several TV shows and movie appearances, but her starring role seems to be in the headlines dragging other celebrities. Most recently, she has rekindled her feud with Oprah and made headlines once more. Let’s get into some of the details of the latest travesty that Oprah Winfrey has caused according to Mo’Nique.
Friends in the Past
The pair have not always been at odds. In the past, the two were good friends and shared history of sexual assault that brought them closer together. Their shared bond was powerful with Mo’Nique thanking Oprah for helping her talk about her issues and bringing them to light.
Mo’Nique was molested by her brother, Gerald Imes, which brought her unimaginable pain at a very young age. She spoke about this to Oprah, opening up about her past and how the experience affected her. The two bonded, but this doesn’t seem to have lasted long after Oprah offended Mo’Nique in several ways after their heartfelt interview.
Channeling Her Pain in Movies
The movie Precious, which starred Mo’Nique and got her an Oscar for her role as Mary Jones, addresses sexual assault. The movie’s plot centers around a young and impoverished girl that have trouble in school and is often molested by members of her family. She got pregnant from her father and went through a journey of self-discovery to escape the past that seemed to haunt her wherever she went.
Mo’Nique has spoken about the role she played in the movie, stating that she channeled her brother when she played the “monster” of Mary Jones. Her brave portrayal paved the way for women to speak out about a sexual assault and move forward in life, refusing to let the past determine their future.
Oprah’s Big Mistake
Mo’Nique has spoken about her sexual abuse on the Oprah Winfrey show, giving details on the horrific abuse she suffered while living in a foster home. She was sexually abused until she managed to leave the home, but this is not all that she has had to go through in life.
Mo’Nique’s brother sexually assaulted her several times when they were kids, starting at the age of 7 and continuing over the years. Oprah had the idea to bring him onto her show and discuss what happened, asking if Mo’Nique would like to join him on the stage and asking if it was okay to have her brother present on the show.
Mo’Nique refused to appear on the show but says she reluctantly agreed that it was fine for her brother to appear on the show. One thing Oprah didn’t mention, however, was that her mother and father would be appearing on the show as well.
The star said that if she had known her parents would be on the show, she would have never agreed due to how tenuous their relationship was at the time. She didn’t want to see her mother put through that shame and humiliation on national television just for money, but she didn’t have a choice. When the show aired, Oprah reached out to Mo.
Mo’Nique admits that she didn’t tell Oprah her true feelings about the episode at the time because she was a bit star-struck and regretted her mistake. She vowed to have another conversation with Oprah, but Oprah stated that she didn’t know Mo’s parents would be on the show and then said she would call back.
Oprah never called back, so Mo took their conversation to the stage at the Oscars when she was called to give advice to rising star Lupita Nyong’o. Oprah apologized for offending her, but Mo believed it wasn’t genuine and hasn’t looked at Oprah the same since.
Are They Still Beefing?
It seems that the feud is still going strong, with Mo claiming that Oprah interviewed Michael Jackson’s accusers in order to get ratings on the show. Mo’Nique and her husband took to YouTube, where they blasted Oprah in regard to her interviews with James Safechuck and Wade Robson. These two individuals have accused MJ of sexual abuse that took place when they were children.
The interview comes after the HBO documentary about the star’s alleged transgressions at Neverland. Although Michael Jackson was found not guilty, Oprah interviewed his accusers – which Mo’Nique found disheartening and disrespectful to Jackson.
This is just the latest saga in the battle of Mo’Nique versus Oprah. There’s sure to be more in the future, as Mo continuously finds things to take offense to, so keep an eye out for these two.
