Mo'Nique has early buzz for awards season

March 29, 5:50 PMCommunity Building Blocks ExaminerFM Johnson

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The annual film industry award season typically starts in the Fall but it's not too early for buzz. To most people's surprise, comedienne and former radio host Mo'Nique has received rave reviews for her role in Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. Produced and directed by Philly native Lee Daniels, the film was the big winner at last year's Sundance Film Festival. It achieved the rare feat of winning both the grand jury and audience prize, making it only the third film in the festival's 25-year history to do so. It's just Daniels' second attempt at directing. Mo'Nique won a jury prize for acting. Awardscircuit.com has her as the early favorite to win the  Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Initially titled Push but recently changed to Precious, the film is the story of an obese, illiterate and sexually abused teen in 1980s Harlem who tries to escape her monstrous mother and make something of herself. Gabby Sidibe plays the main character Precious. Mo'Nique is her abusive mother. In a recent interview Daniels said Mo'Nique makes Baby Jane (the Bette Davis character from the 1961 film classic Whatever Happened To Baby Jane) look like Cinderella. Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire also stars Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz and Paula Patton. It's scheduled to open in limited release on November 6 and then nationally on November 20.

Photo (L-R): Mariah Carey, Gabourey Sidibe, Lee Daniels, Mo'Nique and Paula Patton at the Sundance Film Festival, January 16, 2009. (Getty Images/Getty Images North America)