--- name: "Mo'Nique" canonical: "https://film.one/person/monique" fi1m_id: "monique" imdb_id: "nm0594898" tmdb_id: 60561 wikidata_id: "Q229169" roles: ["Actor"] born: "11 December 1967" reviewed_on_fi1m: 2 average_fi1m_score: 71 average_as: "actor" average_over: 2 updated: "2026-09-20T07:22:05.542124+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Mo'Nique ## Identity Mo'Nique - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/monique - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** monique - **IMDb ID:** nm0594898 - **TMDB ID:** 60561 - **Wikidata ID:** Q229169 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mo%27Nique, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q229169, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594898/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/60561 Actor. Born 11 December 1967 in Woodlawn, Maryland, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 11 December 1967, Woodlawn, Maryland, USA - **Active:** 2003–2009 - **Also known as:** Monica Imes, Monique Angela Hicks - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won) - **Average Fi1m score:** 71, as actor, over 2 titles - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mo%27Nique, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q229169, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594898/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/60561 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire*](https://film.one/film/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire.md) (72) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Mo'Nique > A stand-up who turned to drama late and made the turn count. As Mary in *Precious* she plays a monster as a sick woman nobody ever looked at, and the parts since have not asked nearly as much of her. Mo'Nique's first trade was stand-up, frank and bawdy and drawn straight from her own life, and it shows in everything she has done on screen since: she does not ask to be liked. Nikki Parker in *The Parkers* (1999–2004) was loud, wanting and unembarrassed for five seasons, and it made her a mainstream comedy star. Then Lee Daniels cast her as Mary in *Precious* (2009), the mother who abuses her teenage daughter, and the same refusal to soften was pointed somewhere far darker. Our review scored the film 72 and said it is carried by two remarkable performances, hers and Gabourey Sidibe's, and undermined every twenty minutes by its own fantasy sequences. That is still our view. We spent most of the running time frightened of Mary and came out, against expectation, sorry for her, and the reason is in how the part is played: not as a villain but as someone ill who was never attended to. She has said as much herself. "I don't hate Mary Jones. I'm sad for Mary Jones." It is the difference between a performance that wants applause and one that wants you to keep looking. The career since has been thinner than that performance deserved. She hosted her own talk show for two years, played Ma Rainey in *Bessie* (2015), and has now worked with Daniels four times in all, most recently as Cynthia Henry in *The Deliverance* (2024). We have not reviewed those and will not judge them here. What we can say is that the shape is a familiar one for comedians who turn out to be able to act: one part everybody remembers, then a long run of supporting roles that do not ask the same question twice. Daniels is the director who has got the most out of her, and it is no accident that he keeps going back. She has said herself that acting fell into her lap and that she does not audition, which may explain both the scarcity of the film work and the conviction of it when it comes. Watch *Precious* for her and Sidibe, and put up with the fantasy sequences. Then wait, as we are, for somebody to write her another Mary. ## Biography Mo'Nique, born Monique Angela Imes on 11 December 1967 in Woodlawn, Maryland, is an American comedian and actress. She began performing stand-up comedy in the late 1980s and gained wider recognition as a member of The Queens of Comedy. She starred as Nikki Parker in the UPN sitcom *The Parkers* (1999–2004). Mo'Nique received critical acclaim for her role as Mary in the film *Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire* (2009), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards. Her other screen credits include *Domino* (2005), *Beerfest* (2006) and *The Deliverance* (2024). She has also hosted *The Mo'Nique Show* on BET. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com, ew.com, npr.org.* ## On Fi1m (2) - *Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire* (2009), Fi1m 72, as Mary — [page](https://film.one/film/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire.md) - *Nip/Tuck* (2003), Fi1m 70, as Evetta Washington — [page](https://film.one/tv/nip-tuck.md) ## Complete filmography (41) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *The Deliverance* (2024), as Cynthia Henry - *My Name Is Mo'Nique* (2023), Writer - *The Reading* (2023), as Emma Leeden - *Sleuth* (2021), as Captain Edwards - *Mo'Nique & Friends: Live from Atlanta* (2020), Executive Producer - *Almost Christmas* (2016), as Aunt May - *Interwoven* (2016), as Barbara - *Bessie* (2015), as Ma Rainey - *Blackbird* (2014), as Claire Rousseau - *Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire* (2009), as Mary — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire.md) - *Steppin: The Movie* (2009), as Aunt Carla - *Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins* (2008), as Betty - *Mo'Nique's F.A.T. Chance: Road to Paris* (2007), series, Actor - *Farce of the Penguins* (2006), as Vicky (voice) - *Ugly Betty* (2006), series, as L'Amanda - *Beerfest* (2006), as Cherry - *Rugrats: Tales from the Crib: Three Jacks & A Beanstalk* (2006), as Aunt Moo (voice) - *Phat Girlz* (2006), as Jazmin Biltmore · Executive Producer - *Campus Ladies* (2006), series, Actor - *Irish Jam* (2006), as Pyscho - *The Boondocks* (2005), series, Actor - *Domino* (2005), as Lateesha Rodriguez - *Shadowboxer* (2005), as Precious - *The Big Black Comedy Show: Vol. 2* (2005), Actor - *Hair Show* (2004), as Peaches - *The Big Black Comedy Show: Vol. 1* (2004), Actor - *Soul Plane* (2004), as Jamiqua - *Nip/Tuck* (2003), series, as Evetta Washington — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/nip-tuck.md) - *Good Fences* (2003), as Ruth Crisp - *Half Past Dead* (2002), as Twitch's Girl - *The Bernie Mac Show* (2001), series, as Lynette - *The Proud Family* (2001), series, as Boonnetta (voice) - *Two Can Play That Game* (2001), as Diedre - *Baby Boy* (2001), as Patrice - *The Queens of Comedy* (2001), Writer - *3 Strikes* (2000), as Dahlia - *The Parkers* (1999), series, as Nikki Parker - *The Hughleys* (1998), series, as Nikki Parker - *Moesha* (1996), series, as Nikki Parker - *Showtime at the Apollo* (1987), series, as Host - *Mo'Nique's Fat Chance*, series, Creator ## Gallery - ![Mo'Nique](https://film.one/media/person/100517/gallery-99ebdcc65dad.jpg) Mo'Nique — Thomas Attila Lewis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Mo%27Nique_SAG_Awards_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Mo'Nique and Husband Sidney Hicks enjoy the moment on the red carpet at the 82nd Academy Awards. (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/100517/gallery-7b9479ba26c5.jpg) Mo'Nique and Husband Sidney Hicks enjoy the moment on the red carpet at the 82nd Academy Awards. (2010) — Sgt. Michael Connors - 302nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/82nd_Academy_Awards%2C_Mo%27Nique_and_Sidney_Hicks.jpg/1280px-82nd_Academy_Awards%2C_Mo%27Nique_and_Sidney_Hicks.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Mo'Nique at the 2010 HRC National Dinner](https://film.one/media/person/100517/gallery-30cfeda4996c.jpg) Mo'Nique at the 2010 HRC National Dinner — dbking, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Mo%27Nique_Human_Rights.jpg/1280px-Mo%27Nique_Human_Rights.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Mo'Nique, winner of the 2010 SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role as Mary in the film "Precious](https://film.one/media/person/100517/gallery-7767556f90f0.jpg) Mo'Nique, winner of the 2010 SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role as Mary in the film "Precious — Thomas Attila Lewis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/Mo%27Nique_SAAwards_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Mo%27Nique_SAAwards_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Mo'Nique, winner of the 2010 SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role as Mary in the film "Precious](https://film.one/media/person/100517/gallery-f0b735dace27.jpg) Mo'Nique, winner of the 2010 SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role as Mary in the film "Precious — Thomas Attila Lewis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Mo%27Nique_SAAwards_%28cropped%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Mo%27Nique_SAAwards_%28cropped%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Mo'Nique, winner of the 2010 SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role as Mary in the film "Precious](https://film.one/media/person/100517/gallery-57696f8557f7.jpg) Mo'Nique, winner of the 2010 SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role as Mary in the film "Precious — Thomas Attila Lewis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Mo%27Nique_SAG_Awards.jpg/1280px-Mo%27Nique_SAG_Awards.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 1 won - 2010: Best Supporting Actress (won), for *Precious* ### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won - 2010: Best Actress in a Supporting Role (won), for *Precious* ### Golden Globes — 1 won - 2010: Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture (won), for *Precious* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/monique