The 42-year-old standup comedienne portrayed an abusive brother in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.” Mo’Nique became the fifth black woman to win an acting Oscar on Sunday night, 70 years after Hattie McDaniel became the first to do so for “Gone with the Wind.”
Her character, Mary Jones, is terrifying & violent & reveals her own brutalized past in the finish.
“I need to thank Miss Hattie McDaniel for enduring all he had to so that I would not must,” Mo’Nique said in accepting the Oscar.
Mo’Nique, who hosts The Mo’Nique Show on BET, was the overwhelming favorite in the run-up to the Oscars, having racked up supporting actress wins at the Golden Globes, Spirit Awards & the British Academy of Film & Television Arts Awards, among others.
In the supporting actress section, the only other black Academy Award winners were Jennifer Hudson for “Dreamgirls” (2006) & Whoopi Goldberg for “Ghost” (1990). Halle Berry is the only black Oscar winner in the best actress section, earning the honor for “Monster’s Ball” (2001).
Three black men have won acting awards, including Denzel Washington, who won for both “Training Day” (2001) & “Glory” (1989).
