http://showbiz411.blogs.thr.com/2010/03/07/monique-is-she-a-one-time-winner/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheHollywoodReporter_Showbiz411+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+|+SHOWBIZ+411%29
By: Roger Friedman // Sunday March 7, 2010
Monique Imes calls herself Mo’Nique, which sort of translates to the clumsy
“more unique.”
Tonight she will be the first winner of the Academy Award to have an apostrophe
in her name. That’s more unique than almost anything else.
She may also be the first winner to bring her husband up on the stage. At the
Independent Spirit Awards on Friday night, Mo’Nique’s husband of four years,
Sidney Hicks, walked her right up to the stage and almost up on it.
It’s hard to say whether or not Mo’Nique is shy, arrogant, or a combination of
both. When a stranger approached her at the awards with a hand outstretched to
shake, she said. “This is my husband.” After Hicks had cleared the stranger for
conversation, the actress felt free to chat briefly. Tonight’s red carpet will
be a long walk if that’s the approach taken.
At her Spirit Awards table, Mo’Nique was a portrait in reserve. It’s possible
she’s anxious, although at this point she’s won every award possible. When her
name was called there was no look of relief or happiness. She is able to hide
whatever emotion is guiding her and remain stone-faced.
There are those who have surmised that her “Precious” run will be a one-time
thing for Mo’Nique. After all, her role as Mary, Precious’ violent mother, is
larger than life. The key moment comes at the very end of the film, during
Mary’s meeting with Precious and Mrs. Weiss, the social worker played so
beautifully by Mariah Carey.
Mo’Nique could travel the road of former winner Cuba Gooding Jr., who made “Show
me the money!” a catchphrase in “Jerry Maguire” 14 years ago and then has
traveled an odd career path. It’s true that there aren’t many roles for women of
her age or color, so Mo’Nique will have to develop material if she wants to stay
in the game. The odds are she’ll do it — she’s smart and tough, and loaded with
potential. And she has that apostrophe, which makes her more special than most.
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