Mo'Nique Says Gay-Themed 'Blackbird' Will 'Save a Lot of Lives'

The coming-of-age drama "Blackbird" may raise eyebrows with its intimate same-sex encounters and Christian themes. But Mo'Nique, who headlines the film as the mentally ill mother of a teenager struggling with his sexuality, says it will also spark dialogue. "It’s gonna save a lot of lives," said the Oscar-winning actress. "I’ve hung around in the gay community since I was 16 years old, so I got a chance to really hear their stories and most of their stories were the same — 'my family can't accept me, or my mom's really religious.'"

"Blackbird" centers on a deeply religious high school student in a small Mississippi town who struggles with the possibility that he may be gay. It co-stars newcomer Julian Walker as conflicted teen Randy Rousseau and actor Isaiah Washington as his father. Mo'Nique previously claimed that black Hollywood actors shunned the gay-themed "Blackbird" because 'everyone was afraid of it.'

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Credited Source: 
The Wrap
Post date: 
2 May 2015
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