Lee Daniels Apologized to Mo'Nique forPreciousFeud 'Even If I Didn't Understand What I Was Apologizing For'

Mar. 15, 2025

Lee Daniels and Mo’Nique on Aug. 2, 2024.Photo:Roy Rochlin/2024 GettyLee Danielshad some work to do to squash a feud that developed between him andMo’Niquein the years after they made theirAcademy Award-winning 2009 moviePrecious.More than two years after Daniels, 64, and Mo’Nique, 56,publicly reconciledduring a comedy show in Staten Island, New York, the filmmaker and actress have teamed up again forThe Deliverance, a Netflix horror film.“Wasn’t that God working? First of all, part of me trying to find my higher power was also understanding what that meant,” Daniels toldThe Hollywood Reporterwhile speaking to how he and Mo’Nique came to collaborate once more. “And that meant forgiveness, that meant apologizing, even if I didn’t understand what I was apologizing for. I had to understand that she was hurt, and that is my sister, and that I love her.“Although Mo’Niquewon the Oscar for Best Supporting Actressfor her role inPreciousback in 2010, she claimed in the years afterwards that Daniels had told her she was “blackballed” from Hollywood and lost out on several potential movie roles after she did not promotePreciouson the awards circuit.Lee Daniels and Mo’Nique on set of Netflix’s The Deliverance.Aaron Ricketts/ Netflix"And like, what is this about? You know what I mean? This is crazy. I love you, this is enough,” Daniels told the outlet of easing tensions between himself and Mo’Nique in recent years. “So, not only am I going to apologize, but I’m going to apologize publicly to you, and we’re getting ready to work together. And then we’re going to work together again, how about that?“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Mo’Nique brought Daniels out on stage during a comedy show she hosted in N.Y.C. in April 2022, where the duo reconciled in front of an audience. “I am so sorry for hurting you in any way that I did,” Daniels said at the event, pervideo footageshared on social media at the time. “She was my best friend, my best friend. Y’all think thatPreciouswas just — that was God working, through both of us.“Lee Daniels and Mo’Nique on Oct. 9, 2010.Paul Morigi/WireImageMo’Nique’s new collaboration with Daniels also featuresAndra Day,Glenn Close,Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor,Caleb McLaughlin, Demi Singleton and Anthony B. Jenkins. It only marks Mo’Nique’s eighth onscreen role sincePreciousreleased in 2009. The movie follows Day’s character, a single mother named Ebony Jackson, whose struggles with alcoholism and caring for her family come to a head when they move into a seemingly haunted house.The Deliveranceis playing in select theaters now and begins streaming on Netflix Aug. 30.

Lee Daniels and Mo’Nique on Aug. 2, 2024.Photo:Roy Rochlin/2024 Getty

Roy Rochlin/2024 Getty

Lee Danielshad some work to do to squash a feud that developed between him andMo’Niquein the years after they made theirAcademy Award-winning 2009 moviePrecious.More than two years after Daniels, 64, and Mo’Nique, 56,publicly reconciledduring a comedy show in Staten Island, New York, the filmmaker and actress have teamed up again forThe Deliverance, a Netflix horror film.“Wasn’t that God working? First of all, part of me trying to find my higher power was also understanding what that meant,” Daniels toldThe Hollywood Reporterwhile speaking to how he and Mo’Nique came to collaborate once more. “And that meant forgiveness, that meant apologizing, even if I didn’t understand what I was apologizing for. I had to understand that she was hurt, and that is my sister, and that I love her.“Although Mo’Niquewon the Oscar for Best Supporting Actressfor her role inPreciousback in 2010, she claimed in the years afterwards that Daniels had told her she was “blackballed” from Hollywood and lost out on several potential movie roles after she did not promotePreciouson the awards circuit.Lee Daniels and Mo’Nique on set of Netflix’s The Deliverance.Aaron Ricketts/ Netflix"And like, what is this about? You know what I mean? This is crazy. I love you, this is enough,” Daniels told the outlet of easing tensions between himself and Mo’Nique in recent years. “So, not only am I going to apologize, but I’m going to apologize publicly to you, and we’re getting ready to work together. And then we’re going to work together again, how about that?“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Mo’Nique brought Daniels out on stage during a comedy show she hosted in N.Y.C. in April 2022, where the duo reconciled in front of an audience. “I am so sorry for hurting you in any way that I did,” Daniels said at the event, pervideo footageshared on social media at the time. “She was my best friend, my best friend. Y’all think thatPreciouswas just — that was God working, through both of us.“Lee Daniels and Mo’Nique on Oct. 9, 2010.Paul Morigi/WireImageMo’Nique’s new collaboration with Daniels also featuresAndra Day,Glenn Close,Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor,Caleb McLaughlin, Demi Singleton and Anthony B. Jenkins. It only marks Mo’Nique’s eighth onscreen role sincePreciousreleased in 2009. The movie follows Day’s character, a single mother named Ebony Jackson, whose struggles with alcoholism and caring for her family come to a head when they move into a seemingly haunted house.The Deliveranceis playing in select theaters now and begins streaming on Netflix Aug. 30.

Lee Danielshad some work to do to squash a feud that developed between him andMo’Niquein the years after they made theirAcademy Award-winning 2009 moviePrecious.

More than two years after Daniels, 64, and Mo’Nique, 56,publicly reconciledduring a comedy show in Staten Island, New York, the filmmaker and actress have teamed up again forThe Deliverance, a Netflix horror film.

“Wasn’t that God working? First of all, part of me trying to find my higher power was also understanding what that meant,” Daniels toldThe Hollywood Reporterwhile speaking to how he and Mo’Nique came to collaborate once more. “And that meant forgiveness, that meant apologizing, even if I didn’t understand what I was apologizing for. I had to understand that she was hurt, and that is my sister, and that I love her.”

Although Mo’Niquewon the Oscar for Best Supporting Actressfor her role inPreciousback in 2010, she claimed in the years afterwards that Daniels had told her she was “blackballed” from Hollywood and lost out on several potential movie roles after she did not promotePreciouson the awards circuit.

Lee Daniels and Mo’Nique on set of Netflix’s The Deliverance.Aaron Ricketts/ Netflix

Aaron Ricketts/ Netflix

“And like, what is this about? You know what I mean? This is crazy. I love you, this is enough,” Daniels told the outlet of easing tensions between himself and Mo’Nique in recent years. “So, not only am I going to apologize, but I’m going to apologize publicly to you, and we’re getting ready to work together. And then we’re going to work together again, how about that?”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Mo’Nique brought Daniels out on stage during a comedy show she hosted in N.Y.C. in April 2022, where the duo reconciled in front of an audience. “I am so sorry for hurting you in any way that I did,” Daniels said at the event, pervideo footageshared on social media at the time. “She was my best friend, my best friend. Y’all think thatPreciouswas just — that was God working, through both of us.”

Lee Daniels and Mo’Nique on Oct. 9, 2010.Paul Morigi/WireImage

Mo’Nique’s new collaboration with Daniels also featuresAndra Day,Glenn Close,Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor,Caleb McLaughlin, Demi Singleton and Anthony B. Jenkins. It only marks Mo’Nique’s eighth onscreen role sincePreciousreleased in 2009. The movie follows Day’s character, a single mother named Ebony Jackson, whose struggles with alcoholism and caring for her family come to a head when they move into a seemingly haunted house.The Deliveranceis playing in select theaters now and begins streaming on Netflix Aug. 30.

source: people.com