Mo’Nique Calls Out Oprah For Making Her “Life Harder” & Addresses Harvey Weinsten Case
(Photo by Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)
The actress also shares her first memory with the media titan when she was 16 years old.
Mo’Nique has taken to social media to address her thoughts on Oprah and how she has addressed the Harvey Weinstein case in recent years.
The comedienne is also calling out the media titan for allegedly what she claims to be a “disparity” in the way she treats people around her. In the Instagram post, she wrote, “I felt compelled to write you this open letter after observing the way that you seem to treat people, who were accused of the same allegations.” She went on to write, “You did an interview on the CBS Morning Show and were asked about Harvey Weinstein by Norah O’Donnell, and you said as it pertained to him that you ‘always try to look at the Rainbow in the clouds, whatever is the silver lining.’”
Mo’Nique then expresses that this is hypocritical since she was going to be part of a documentary addressing Michael Jackson and Russel Simmons’ sexual assault allegations. “Russell and Harvey are accused of the same thing so in fairness how do you not ‘support’ the accusers of both as you said you did with R.S. or you look for the silving lining for both like you said you did with H.W.?,” she asked.
Further in the open letter, she then addresses her thoughts on her “personal experiences” with Oprah. “You’ve watched me as a black woman, be accused of being difficult for not promoting Precious internationally for Lions Gate, at Lions Gate, Tyler Perry and your request, despite the fact my deal was with Lee Daniels Entertainment,” she shared. “How are you for black women when you hear Tyler on audio saying I was right and he was going to speak up but you or him still haven’t said a word?”
She also detailed when she first met Oprah when she was 16. Upon meeting her she shared with her that when she grew up she wanted to be just like her to which Oprah noted, “You have to work really really hard. My sixteen-year-old self didn’t know that you in your silence in the face of wrongdoing, would make my life ‘harder.”’
In case you need a refresher, the feud between Oprah and Mo’Nique allegedly began when they were working on Precious together in 2009. Mo’Nique has expressed in the past that she refused to go on press runs for the film per Lionsgate, Lee Daniels and Oprah’s requests since she wouldn’t be paid.
Following these actions, she was interviewed by Steve Harvey and addressed the fact that she had been “labeled as difficult” and then blacklisted in the industry. “I said no to some very powerful people. I said no to Oprah Winfrey. I said no to Tyler Perry. I said no to Lee Daniels and I said no to Lionsgate.”
Oprah has not officially responded to any of Mo’Nique claims, according to Entertainment Tonight. Take a look at her entire open letter below.
