Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage(NEW YORK) — Mo’Nique caused a flurry of headlines earlier this year, when she accused Empire creator Lee Daniels of telling her she had been blackballed by Hollywood after winning an Academy Award for her role in Precious in 2010.
Daniels, who directed Precious, didn’t seem to deny that he said that to the comedienne and even said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, “Her demands through Precious were not always in line with the campaign. This soured her relationship with the Hollywood community.”
After the back and forth, Mo’Nique tells ABC Radio she doesn’t regret speaking out against Daniels. “How could you ever be regretful of the truth? So I have no regrets,” she adds.
Mo’Nique also says she hasn’t heard from Daniels since he offered her the role of Cookie on his new hit show, Fox’s Empire. “We’ve actually reached out to him. We’ve sent him an email, tried to reach out to him, but he has not reached out,” she admits.
Mo’Nique ended up losing the part to Taraji P. Henson, but now she’s out with her own film in which she stars and executive produces. Blackbird is centered on a boy struggling with his sexuality.
The Oscar winner says it’s a “necessary” film. “And it’s one of those type of movies that we truly believe when you walk away from it your heart is a little different, your mind is a little different, and you get to a place of acceptance,” she adds.
Mo’Nique portrays the boy’s mother. “Claire is a woman who is based in her faith and she believes everything that’s in that Bible so much so that once she finds out that her son is a homosexual she’s having a hard time loving him through his journey of life,” she explains. “She thinks and believes that he is condemned to hell and that he’s put a curse on that family. What I really love about Claire Rousseau is she’s honest, and she makes no apologies for what she believes in.”
Unlike her character, Mo’Nique doesn’t identify herself as a Christian. Still, she says she can relate to the film. “You know when people ask me about what religion am I? I’m just love,” she explains. “So that way in just being love, I can love everyone with no judgment.”
Mo’Nique co-stars opposite newcomer Julian Walker, who plays the struggling boy. “That young man is fearless and he’s courageous and he’s brave. Because when [director] Patrik-Ian Polk went to Hollywood, everyone was afraid of [the role],” she explains. “So for this young man to have never done it before, and take on such a challenging role, and do it with no fear, is something that we need to pay attention to and to applaud.”
Blackbird, also starring Isaiah Washington, is out in limited release Friday.
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