Mo’Nique is no stranger to controversy. The Oscar-winner has famously feuded with Hollywood powerhouses like Oprah Winfrey and her former friends, Tyler Perry and Lee Daniels. She’s even had a professional disagreement with Whoopi Goldberg.
But even Mo’Nique’s romantic relationship causes chaos. Her decision to refer to her husband as “daddy” causes many eyebrows to raise. Still, Mo’Nique says her husband is worthy of the title.
Mo’Nique and her husband Sidney Hicks met in high school but began dating much later
Hicks and Mo’Nique met while attending high school together in Maryland. The two were close friends and remained in contact on and off as Mo’Nique’s career in Hollywood began to rise.
Following Mo’Nique’s first divorce, the two began spending more time together. They even had a friend with benefits relationship for some time before opting to make things exclusive. The couple married in 2006 and together they have twin sons, Jonathan and David. Hicks is also the stepfather to Mo’Nique’s two adult sons from her previous marriage.
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Hicks is Mo’Nique’s manager and she credits him with securing the best contracts of her career. She famously fights for the rights of Black talent in Hollywood with Hicks by her side, though her career has suffered some as a result. Many believe Hicks is responsible for Mo’Nique’s career downfalls, but she strongly disagrees, arguing that Hicks helps her keep her integrity in check.
Their marriage has also been a subject of controversy due to the two having an open marriage. Their podcast, Mo’Nique and Sidney’s Open Relationship, delves into how they make their marriage work.
In a 2016 episode of their podcast, Mo’Nique says the key to an open marriage is remaining honest with one another. Per ESSENCE, she explained, “So it’s not just an open relationship from a sexual standpoint, it’s an open relationship in terms of dialogue that you’re having with your spouse.”
Mo’Nique says she calls her husband ‘daddy’ because she learns from him
The Precious star is famous for doing joint press alongside her husband. When speaking to Hicks, she refers to him as “daddy.” He, in turn, calls her “mama” but many find their pet names for each other to be odd. At a minimum, some even find Mo’Nique referencing Hicks as “daddy” to be degrading.
But Mo’Nique says Hicks deserves the title. In an interview on Tamar Braxton’s podcast Under Construction, the comedian says she learns from Hicks as she would from her own father.
“I tell them: ‘because he’s raising me. He’s giving me everything that my father did not,’” she asserts.
Related: Exclusive: Why Pop Culture Critic, Jawn Murray, Doesn’t Agree with Mo’Nique’s Lawsuit Against Netflix
Prior to her relationship with Hicks, Mo’Nique says she did not have healthy relationships with men. It was at the behest of Hicks who asked her to allow her to “treat you like a lady” that Mo’Nique knew he was the one.
The relationship between Mo’Nique and her parents was estranged for many years. She was sexually abused by her brother as a child and her parents firmly stood by their son, despite him admitting to the abuse. When the family, sans Mo’Nique, appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss the abuse, the estrangement grew further.
Mo’Nique credits Hicks with helping her heal and forgive her family for the pain and betrayal she experienced.
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