After years of feuding, Will Smith and his former co-star, Janet Hubert, made amends at the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion. Actress Mo’Nique used this epic moment to applaud Smith and called on Tyler Perry to follow in his footsteps, starting with a public apology addressed to her.
What We Know:
- Following the release of the 2009 film Precious, Mo’Niqueclaimed she was blackballed by Perry and Oprah Winfrey who were executive producers. She also said the movie’s director, Lee Daniels, contributed to her career’s demise. Mo’Nique says she was asked to attend an international film festival for the movie’s promotion, which was not apart of her contract. The Cannes Film Festival did not offer her any compensation so she refused the campaign and chose to spend time with her family instead. In doing so, she was ultimately labeled as “difficult” to work with.
- In their reunion, the original Aunt Viv portrayed by Hubert told Smith that once he called her “difficult” it was like the kiss of death for a Black woman in Hollywood. This is the type of isolation Mo’Nique expressed that she endured and feels that Perry’s apology could take part in undoing the damage to her reputation. In an Instagram post, she wrote, “Hats off to Will Smith for apologizing for what he did to Janet Huberts… career/life…Perhaps Tyler Perry, who has admitted in private that he was wrong will follow suit & be man enough to apologize in public like he promised.”
- She continued to directly speak to Perry recalling that he won E! People’s Choice Award “for being the people’s champ” and urges him to tell the truth about how she did nothing wrong. She calls him the champion of those who have supported him, Black women in particular.
- The post also includes a few audio files of what she alleges to be a recorded personal conversation between her and Perry.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHyZEhBBXVU/?utm_source=ig_embed
- In the audio files, the alleged voice of Perry says he was heartbroken to hear she was upset with him. He calls her “brilliantly talented” and deserving of more since winning an Oscar for her role in Precious. He says had she played by their rules, he thought for sure a Netflix deal and millions of dollars were in store for her. “I believe that much in your talent”, the man on the leaked call said. He also mentioned writing something with her in mind but scrapped it knowing Lionsgate “would’ve had a fit”. He added that once he goes on his press tour he would address the circumstances surrounding Mo’Nique being blackballed, which Tyler Perry never did. The exact date of the conversation is unknown.
- In February, Mo’Nique called out Oprah in an open letter. She wrote, “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?”
Winfrey and Perry have yet to respond publicly.
