Mo'Nique facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mo'Nique
Mo'Nique at the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010
Born	Monique Angela Imes (1967-12-11) December 11, 1967 (age 57) Woodlawn, Maryland, U.S.
Other names	Myelle Kaye
Occupation	Comedian actress talk show host author
Years active	1990–present
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Calvin Watkins ​ (divorced)​ Mark Jackson ​ ​ (m. 1997; div. 2001)​ Sidney Hicks ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	4
Awards	Full list

Monique Angela Hicks (born December 11, 1967), known as Mo'Nique, is a famous American comedian and actress. She first became known as a stand-up comedian and was part of a group called The Queens of Comedy. In 2002, she was nominated for a Grammy Award for her comedy album.

Mo'Nique also became popular for her acting roles. She starred in the TV show The Parkers from 1999 to 2004. She also appeared in movies like Phat Girlz (2006) and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008). She received high praise for her role in the movie Precious (2009). For this role, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This made her the fourth African-American woman to win this award. She also won awards from the BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

After hosting her own talk show, The Mo'Nique Show (2009–2011), she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the HBO film Bessie (2015). She also starred in Lee Daniels' Netflix film The Deliverance (2024).

Early Life and Beginnings

Mo'Nique was born on December 11, 1967, in Woodlawn, Maryland. Her mother, Alice Imes, was an engineer, and her father, Steven Imes, Jr., was a counselor. She is the youngest of four children.

She finished Milford Mill High School in 1985 and later went to Morgan State University. In 1987, she graduated from the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland. Before becoming an actress, Mo'Nique worked in customer service for a phone company. She started her comedy career at a club in Baltimore after her brother dared her to perform at an open mic night.

Comedy and TV Career

Mo'Nique played Nicole "Nikki" Parker in the TV show The Parkers from 1999 to 2004. She was a popular stand-up comedian and appeared on shows like Showtime at the Apollo and Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam. In her comedy, Mo'Nique often talks about different social topics.

In 2006, Mo'Nique released a cookbook called Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted. She also worked on a radio show in Washington, D.C. She was the host of Showtime at the Apollo and also hosted Mo'Nique's Fat Chance, a beauty pageant for plus-sized women. She hosted the first season of Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School on VH1.

Her 2007 documentary, I Coulda Been Your Cellmate!, focused on women in prison. She interviewed different women to understand why they ended up in the prison system. This documentary was connected to a comedy special she filmed at a women's prison. In 2007, she had a guest role on the TV series Ugly Betty.

Mo'Nique also had her own late-night talk show, The Mo'Nique Show, which started in October 2009 on BET. She was featured in soul singer Anthony Hamilton's music video "Sista Big Bones". She hosted the BET Awards in 2003, 2004, and 2007.

Film Roles and Awards

Mo'Nique has had many supporting roles in movies. She appeared in the 2008 comedy film Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins with Martin Lawrence. She also had roles in Beerfest, 3 Strikes, Two Can Play That Game, Half Past Dead, and Soul Plane.

Mo'Nique at the 2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards

In 2008, Mo'Nique shared on Oprah Winfrey Show that Martin Lawrence gave her great advice about show business. He told her, "Don't ever let them tell you what you can't have." She said this advice helped her make some of the best deals in her career.

Mo'Nique giving a speech in 2010

In 2009, Mo'Nique starred in the film Precious, directed by Lee Daniels. She played an abusive mother in the film. Her performance earned her the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) gave her the Best Supporting Actress Award in December 2009. This was the first time the AAFCA gave a unanimous vote in an acting category.

She won many other awards for her role in Precious, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, the Independent Spirit Award, and the BAFTA Award. Time magazine called her performance the Best Female Performance of 2009.

In 2014, Mo'Nique starred in the drama film Blackbird. She then played Ma Rainey in the movie Bessie in 2015. For this role, she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. In 2022, it was announced that Mo'Nique would star in the horror film The Deliverance with Andra Day and other actors.

Personal Life

Mo'Nique was married to sportswriter Calvin Watkins and they had a son, Shalon Watkins, Jr., in 1990. She was later married to Mark Jackson from 1997 to 2001. In October 2005, Mo'Nique had twin sons, Jonathan and David Hicks. She married their father, Sidney Hicks, in 2006.

Awards and Nominations

Mo'Nique has won many awards, especially for her role in Precious. She won 52 awards out of 66 nominations for that film. These include the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.

For her role in The Parkers, Mo'Nique received four NAACP Image Awards for Most Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. She has also been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her work in the TV film Bessie, and several BET Awards for her comedy.

Filmography

Film

Key

Denotes works that have not yet been released

Television

Specials

Tours

Residency show

• Mo'Nique Does Vegas (held at SLS Las Vegas) (2019)

See also

In Spanish: Mo'Nique para niños