Comedian Mo’Nique Speaks Out About The Treatment That Black Actors Endured While Working On The Set Of “The Color Purple”: “If They Were Hand-Picked For That Movie, Those Women Should Have Been Taken Care Of”

Mo’Nique adds her voice to the conversation about Taraji P. Henson’s revelations regarding the challenging conditions faced by her and her fellow Black female co-stars during the filming of “The Color Purple.”

After the film’s release, Henson expressed concerns about inadequate catering for on-set talent, substandard trailers, and requiring talent to use their own rental vehicles to commute to the set instead of being provided transportation.

Shortly after, Gayle King inquired about the reported conflict between Winfrey and Henson during a Golden Globes interview. Winfrey responded by stating that upon learning of Henson’s discontent, she promptly took action by reaching out to address and resolve the issues.

However, Mo’Nique caught wind of Winfrey’s response and asserted that if the producer were fulfilling her responsibilities, the actors should not have faced these issues.

“Everything was, ‘Didn’t I champion for y’all?’ I was like, ‘Stop it. You didn’t champion for those Black women, for our sisters,” Mo’Nique said. “What [she] did was, ‘We can treat them like we always treat them, who gon’ check me boo? I’m Oprah Winfrey. You know everything should have been done when you showed up…Now when you hear our beautiful sisters saying, ‘yeah but it got fixed,’ it’s like we’re making it worse.”

She added, “So, when Oprah Winfrey sits at the helm and Taraji P. Henson says, ‘It’s an honor that we were hand-picked for this movie,’ Well, if they were hand-picked for that movie, those women should have been taken care of from the moment go.”

If you’re unaware, Mo’Nique has faced persistent headlines implying that her outspokenness led to her being “blackballed” in Hollywood. Reports have suggested that figures like Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and her “Precious” director Lee Daniels played a role in limiting her opportunities in the industry.