Crews 
We just showed you the new emotionally charged trailer for the film ‘Blackbird’ which has been doing well at independent film festivals nationwide and is set to hit major theaters in April.
The film stars Oscar award winning actress Mo’Nique in what is sure to be her most talked about role since ‘Precious’. In fact, it is one of her only roles since she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in the 2010 film.
Why haven’t we seen the former ‘The Parkers’ star and late night talk show host in a slew of films since winning her coveted award? According to Mo’Nique she was blackballed in the industry.
According to E! the comedian turned actor writes in an essay in the Feb. 27 issue of The Hollywood Reporter that director-producer Lee Daniels clued her in just a few months ago on why she hasn’t been getting calls for major roles.
Mo’Nique writes, “But I got a phone call from Lee Daniels…And he said to me, ‘Mo’Nique, you’ve been blackballed.’ I said, ‘Why?’ And he said, ‘Because you didn’t play the game.'”
After steamrolling the competition throughout the 2009-10 awards season, Mo’Nique famously didn’t campaign for her Oscar, going on to say in her acceptance speech that she was grateful to the Academy “for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics.”
“I said, ‘Well, what game is that?'” her THR piece continues. “He gave me no response.”
People who would say that she’s “difficult,” “tactless” or “tacky” would “probably be right,” the actress writes. “That’s why I have my beautiful husband because he’s so full of tact. I’m just a girl from Baltimore. But being from that place, you learn not to let anybody take advantage of you.”
Mo’Nique also writes that she was offered the role of Forest Whitaker’s wife in Lee Daniels’ The Butler, a part that ultimately went to Oprah Winfrey; a role in the Daniels-produced Fox hit Empire; and the role of Richard Pryor’s grandmother [also now set to be played by Oprah] in the upcoming biopic Daniels is working on—but, she adds, “they all just went away.”
The mastermind behind ‘Empire’ Lee Daniels himself released a statement to THR following Mo’Nique’s revelation.
“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.” Daniels wrote.
Do you believe Mo’Nique was blackballed? Thoughts? like share and discuss.
