I was really excited when Mo’nique won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Precious, based on the novel Push by Sapphire. I was not alone as the entire audience stood and applauded as she took the stage. She walked poised, controlled and reserved, as if she was told she won the night before and was just waiting for everyone else to hear she won too. Mo’nique’s speech was also controlled and her delivery was strong and defiant. What she wore paid homage to Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to ever win an Oscar. She too was a beautiful curvy woman. She wore a royal blue, floor length gown with a white flower in her hair 71 years prior.
People in their living rooms took apart her speech. Reports swelled during the Oscars online and after the event that Mo’nique was out of line, calling the part of her speech where she thanked the Academy for choosing “performance over politics” disrespectful to the very Academy she was thanking. The press conference after the event Mo’nique again exercised control of her space by making sure those in the press that may have not been so supportive wait in line as she allowed those who had been there from the beginning open up the line of questioning. Of course she was criticized for that too. She is no stranger to this type of ridicule surrounding the movie, having been criticized for not doing a press junket tour like all of the other actors. making only 2 appearances on Oprah, one by Skype and the other in studio. Even Oprah called her looking for her when the film debuted at The Toronto Film Festival, as she admitted on her show recently.
One thing that is undeniable, Mo’nique has always did things her way, never apologizing for who she is. She chose spending time with her family and other business interests over pushing the movie. She stood on the Oscar stage in that beautiful gown, with legs unshaven underneath, embracing the moment and confident in her voluptuous stance. They wanted her to be more humble for her win. Her speech to me said, ” Academy, I dont need your Oscar to validate who I am and what I have done, life has done that already. I acknowledge and appreciate the statement you are making by awarding this Oscar to me”. The statement being that we are now entering an era where you don’t have to be an actress that looks like Meryl Streep, be a size 2 and only have subject matter in movies that is easy to swallow to have consideration. It is about time.
Features Editor, Cassandra Jones-McBryde -- Daily Venus Diva.
I wonder if there would have been such an uproar if she had been a white man and had said the same speech. She deserves the Oscar hands down. And I think her speech brought to light the politics that does go on, many news places were talking about it afterwards. I for one had no idea.