Sure hope the Academy voting deadline has passed. Because Mo’Nique’s recent comments about money may not go over very well with members. She has been brilliant through awards season, tempering criticism late last year that she was insisting on financial gain in exchange for promoting Precious and representing the film as the lead candidate for Best Actress Oscar.

Now a new interview with the AP puts the cash money issue back in the spotlight. When asked about reports that Mo’Nique did not attend the first stage of the Precious press tour because of financial demands, she offered this explanation:

Mo'Nique: Well, when they say Mo'Nique was worried about money, I wasn't worried about money. Mo'Nique has a talk show that comes on five nights a week and she tapes six times a week for that talk show. And yes, when I leave my home, I leave my home and get paid to leave my home, so I wasn't worried about money. They simply said, "You know, well Mo'Nique we can't pay you to do that." ... We said, "OK, baby. Well, then, that's not something we can do." Because, when I leave out, why ever would I go do something for free when I can go and do something and bring money back home to my family?

I can appreciate the notion that “time is money”. That when pulled in so many different directions, ultimately the decision is made based on “what’s best for me”. She is honest about her priorities – feeding her family, taking care of her home. But people are weird about money. It’s considered tacky to put money right up there in a conversation as it relates to ambition. Furthermore, many of her peers, like Taraji P Henson and Terence Howard, believe that the art outweighs the spoil and her participation in promoting the movie will reach out to an audience that would otherwise not be interested and that ultimately, as actors, especially for a movie like Precious, this is the ultimate prize.

As such, some Academy members could find this money talk rather distasteful. Voters are fickle beasts. If there is a lock this year to date, she would be the one. Hopefully that’s not jeopardised.

Anna Kendrick meanwhile, truly, is just happy to be invited.

This is Anna arriving in Vancouver for a week of work with James McAvoy and Seth Rogen before heading to LA next weekend to attend the Oscars.


Source
Photos from Wenn.com and PUNKD Images