Golden Globe-nominated actress Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe recently posed for the February issue of Harpar’s Bazaar and spoke about her confidence and frustrations with the media.
On doing the Harper’s Bazaar shoot:
“I feel like a model. It justifies everyone in my life who told me I wouldn’t be anything until I lost weight. It justifies that little girl who cried because she didn’t think she could be in front of the camera. And it’s for other girls who feel like they can’t do this or that and feel like they’re not pretty and not worthy of having their photo taken.”On her confidence:
“People always ask me, ‘You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?’ It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see.”On her frustration with some media synopsis’ of Precious:
“‘Gabby Sidibe is an overweight black girl who is illiterate and pregnant by her father,’” she parrots. “Look, I am black. I’m also overweight, but that’s not the point of the story. The point is the abuse and her bravery. This stuff happens to skinny people, to white people, to so many different people that they’ve missed the point if they say it’s about a fat girl.”
I love her confidence!!
You being confident and comfortable with you is all that matters!!!! You GO Girl!!!!!!
I applaud her for this and Im proud for her but honey, I have nothing against obese, big or skinny ppl but at some point, for your own damn health, u need to do something!!! Congrats on her noms, was Monique nomitated for something as well? I didnt follow the noms.
She is proof that U don’t have to be skinny to star in your own movie and be a success. I hope she keeps her positive attitude. Her statement It came from me is an example to every big black woman in the world with low self esteem. Hope she wins in her categories this year…………..
Well look at Precious (Im sorry but she will forever be called Precious).
Shes doing it big. Happy for her and this proves that Hollywood is not all about size and image and color.
Let the Angel jokes start in 1, 2, 3….
I’m happy for her. She deserve it and she worked so hard this year. Weight should never define a person, their personality should. She have so much confidence and energy, that she dnt care about all the negativity around her. I’m happy for her. Hope this is her big break for 2010.!!!
I agree with Olala.
I love her intelligence, perspective, as well as the confidence. She was an accomplished young woman before acting out this role. Eff Precious, I think Gabby herself is inspirational.
Props to her confidence, for real, but sister girl need to break out runnin every 15 or 20 minutes. Its one thing to be thick, but cot-to-mightay! She need to be an example of how to get healthy in 2010 for them little girls, too! Much love though.
Love her confidence, but I hope she is working hard to become healthy.
You can be confident all you want, one heart attack can end your life.
And I wouldn’t want that to happen to her, because she’s a sweet, bright & talented girl.
Get it Gabby!
I don’t get the Angel comparisons. Especially from that vile blogger I will not name. I read her personal blog: http://www.angelonfire.com and I don’t think she looks like Gabby.
But yeah, Gabby is confident as hell though and that’s to be envied.
Oh I like her attitude, everyone can’t be born with the most desirable traits. Your inner strength will get you further in life then a hollow image.
Great attitude, but this is nonsense.
NO ONE wants to be that obese.
I think a lot of you are patronizing her. It like the elephant in the room that you don’t want to take about – LITERALLY.
If she was 80lbs and looked like Nicole Richie you would all criticize her for being too skinny.
Stop with the double standards.
Her confidence is so inspiring!! Because just because you are skinny and OTHER people think and call you beautiful, doesn’t mean that YOU think you’re beautiful and are comfortable in your own skin.
I love her confidence as well. She is an inspiration for the normal girls out there who want to dream big. However, I do agree that she needs to make her health a priiority. She a beautiful girl, but now its time to be a beautiful and healthly.
go girl!!
14 GET REAL
Exactly. If she was white, extremely skinny and weighed like a feather… Everyone would be jumping on her. Gabby should lose weight, for her own sake.
All I can say is “Amen!”.
Yada Yada Yada, but her flat hammer toe feet looked jacked up, you can be confident but just put some damn socks on them chitlins you call “feet” yuck…
I applaud her for being confident in her own skin & accepting herself for who she is.
You would be surprised at how many pretty, thin, insecure people there are in the world. Low self-esteem is across the board, it has no face. No matter what you look like, you should know your selfworth and love yourself!
More propaganda to get black women to stay obese. She needs to be confident in a treadmill.
Why are you all assuming she is unhealthy? Just cuz she is over weight DOES not mean she has diabtes, high blood pressure, or is about to have stroke. Yes, she may be at an increased risk but she is at an increased risk simply because she is black. But when you write something stupid it does not put you at an increased risk for people to think your an idoit. It proves it.
Did the chile say she didnt know she needs to lose weight? That is was easy and she just dont want to???? Dayum people, she said she is comfortable with whom she is right dayum now, and thank God judging from some of folks comments. Is she was too skinny or overweight, I would still admire her swagger inspite of the stupid issshhh I am sure she has heard all her life
she is cute. i love her spirit. i hope she truly is comfortable with herself. but i also know sometimes people put on a “i’m so confident” front when they are really insecure.
i wish her the best!
Anyone who thinks she is truly confident is naive to say the least.
DEAD @ #20. lol
Honestly I dont care how much big girls say they are confident and happy with theirselves…no one wants to be obese, esspecially to the extent that Precious is. I am happy she is trying to be a good influence for over weight people but she ain’t fooling anyone. I think she would be a better influence if she stock up on nutrient bars and hop on a trend mil. real talk
@Get REAL:
CONSIGN 100%
Just cause she ain’t slim doesn’t mean she lacks confidence smh, some of you are unecessary rude. I’m happy for her and if she’s fine with her weight, then who the f*ck am i to tell her otherwise
She did a great job as ‘Precious’. It is very inspiring to see someone who is unconventional get such great accolades.
Yeah I agree with some of the comments about no one wanting to be obese.
I’ve never been overweight but I know it must be hard to even carry on simple tasks and she must get tired easily .. – she should lose weight.
++ this isn’t a good picture of her.
It is true. U are as beautiful as u feel. Because When I see her, I always see her beautiful smile and confidence. Loves it.
kind
Speaking as someone who used to weigh 280 pounds I can honestly say that she needs to loose weight. It’s one thing to be slightly overweight, but it’s a whole nother issue when you’re obese. Sure, in text and in magazines she can say that she’s completely confident and happy with herself all she wants, but the interviews in front of the camera paint a different picture. I saw her on Leno a few weeks back and the walk from the stage entrance to her seat on the couch left her out of breath. If you’re huffing and puffing from walking a distance of less than 30 feet then something’s not right. And even after she sat down she was still breathing heavy and adjusting her dress every other moment.
I’m not saying that she has to be a size 2 or anything crazy like that (hell, I’m far from a size 2, but I’m healthy and curvy), but she can’t continue to be the size that she is. Confidence doesn’t mean jack shit if you’re dead.
I have seen her on a couple of interview. Very well spoken but with those thighs and cankles, the ground must shake and break when her elephant feet hit the floor.
However, she should really talk about health. Obese is not healthy or cute.
She has Oprah & Monique, the poster children for obesity, in her ear so of course she will not lose weight
There’s overweight, there’s obese, then there’s oh sh*t. Guess which one she is.
Beautiful and all women are beautiful no matter what they look like … i agree with that
but shes unhealthy …. its not cute and there is NO WAY she can be that size and healthy. For your own damn sake lose dat weight … it does kill and prevent many people from reaching their full potential
I have no comments about the weight issue. I will say it is refreshing to see new black talent in Hollywood versus giving scripts to the same faces (Halle, Beyonce). Black Hollywood can only grow when we start recruiting outside of the well known circle, after all white Hollywood is only comfortable with the “safe black women” (see names above) who are willing to accept ANY role just to be infront of the camera. Here’s to new faces, and new images in Hollywood. God bless.
The new Hollywood? Heart Disease from being over weight is the new hollywood?
I heart Gabby. Beautiful young lady
I love her. But she should get in the gym. Im a football player soI know what its like to be big. But its not all about actual weight. If she lost some of that fat she would be great. Its important to eat right and stay active. Its a struggle but it can be done. God bless her. Also yall that are making fun of her need to stop. Just cuz ur overweight dont mean ur not “healthy”. I know plenty of “overweight” people who dnt have diabetes, high blood pressure and all that. But I also know that they eat right and excersise.Thats wat im sayin Precious should do. But no matter what we are all beautifully and wonderfully made. Ok im gonna stop preaching now lol.
If she like it…well you know the rest. She is a really good actress so me saying she looks confident in this picture could be what she was going for. Anyway looking confident is a good look. I can’t talk on the weight because I KNOW I am overweight. Almost 200 pounds and I am 5’9. I know that is nothing compared to her but still…Hooray to Gabby.
I know that’s right…SHAKE THOSE HATERS OFF GABZ!! lol
Go girl!
great girl with a great movie
love her
I’ve seen her in a couple of interviews and she has a great personality and spirit. Having said that, she needs to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. There’s nothing cute about her being confident about being obese. She’ll kill herself. I find it odd how they aren’t uplifting obese white girls like this.
I like her…what is she going to be in next?
LOL @ Judah.
I agree with everyone who says she should lose weight. She should endorse staying healthy, not obesity.
I LOVE GABBY!!!! SHE’S FLY!!!!
You cant buy the confidence she has. People spend thousands of dollars altering themselves so that they can look how she feels. Shes a good role model for young women. Im not one to comment on her weight, but her personality, self-esteem and inner beauty (the things that really count) are admirable.
@50….Last time I checked good health counted too.
I hate it when “skinny” people always talk about overweight people for theirweight issues. But they be eatin so much junk and they dnt do nuthin but eat, eat and sleep and thats it. Dnt even touch the gym. Dnt even kno wat resistance training is. But cuz their bodies are fast food burners they stay skinny. Well jus cuz your skinny doesnt mean your living a healthy lifestyle.No matter how big or small you are eating right and working out is important. Its not jus about the weight cuz i kno plenty of people who are big and very healthy. But skinny people feel theyre not big so who cares. I can eat whatever I want. I bet they have health problems more than the big people do. Im a weight trainer and chef. I kno wat im talkin about. Im 5ft 10 and 205 pounds. Im in the best shape of my life. Gabby should lose weight and tone up. But not cuz shes unhealthy. Jus so she can maintain it throughout the years. Im jus sayin.
@ Jashunta – you’re right, that ain’t ish. At 5’9 you probably carry that well.
I do like Gabby’s outlook on things and I think her positivity will be the catalyst to her losing whatever weight she may need to. We all know that we want to give support for her confidence but we also don’t want to see this beautiful new talent up in the hospital. No, we don’t know what her health issues are (or if she has any) but we know in reality that the heart has to work extra hard to get blood and oxygen to all parts of her body. There is no reason to tease her but encouraging healthy habits is a good idea.
“More propaganda to get black women to stay obese. She needs to be confident in a treadmill”- from JUDAH
“I find it odd how they aren’t uplifting obese white girls like this”- from PLAINSIGHT
…It is refreshingly clear that both of you get it. I have no issue with Ms Sidibe’s success, confidence, intelligence or any of the sort. Her performance in “Precious” is noteworthy- especially now that we can see her personality (via interviews) is starkly unique from that of Precious, the character.
What I DO have issue with is this continued, relentless, force feeding of a racist, supremacist, white male dominated understanding of what Blackness should be. Particularly our Black females. Look at our own music world: ripe with misogyny, degradation and pathology for our own women. Look at the accompanying music videos: an incessant barrage of imagery featuring Black females who are uber fair skinned with long hair (slave master rape product), and/or often virtually nude (slave master sex object). Who do you think is creating, producing, and funding these choices and imagery? Jeezy? Lil Soulja Boy? Of course not. They own nothing. The corporations- run by the white males mentioned above- make these decisions. And Black people lap it up with thundering applause.
This mentality is pervasive, so let’s talk about “Precious” the movie. I’ve watched it several times and read quite a few commentaries about what it means for Black cinema in 2010. While I agree that all the actors were phenomenal, Mo’nique especially deserves every award she’s won and will win, I have major reservations about the not so subtle signals within the movie. Too many to list but to illustrate that this slave master mentality is all over this “Precious” project: in the movie, every person that shows Precious kindness, assistance and love is either white or notably light skinned- Ms Rain (biracial actress married to a Caucasian), Ms Weiss (multiracial actress who looks Caucasian), Ms Lichtenstein (Jewish), Nurse John (biracial actor).
What are the not so subtle cues here? The person who Precious goes to get her welfare check from, even though played by part Black Mariah Carey, has a Jewish name, Ms Weiss. The high school principal who disciplines Precious and shows her the path to success (via alternative school) is also Jewish, Ms Lichtenstein. Would it have been too much to expect a Black principal at an almost all Black high school in 1987 Harlem? Or a Black social worker? The message might as well be: Blacks can’t help themselves without the assistance of Jews or almost white caretakers.
Again, I’m happy for the success of Ms Sidibe and wish her much more. But I’m not blind to the messages being put forth constantly from our media. Winfrey, Perry, Daniels, and Sapphire have a financial and emotional (incest survivors) stake. Take note people. The war for our minds is centuries old- control the mind and you control the masses. If you haven’t already, I recommend watching “The Great Debaters” and then ask yourself: Why wasn’t this film showered with as much (if not more) praise as “Precious” by Hollywood?
Peace and blessings…
You guys are all stupid. I swear it’s a black blog and of course the comments are ignorant. I hate Judah, hopefully he or she perishes in some painful way. Actually it would be great if a majority of you heathens left the earth, you’re all trash anyway. Judgmental pieces of shit that spews nothing but shit.
Being that overweight DOES mean that she is unhealthy. When your heart has to pump against all that weight, it’s never a good thing (especially when it becomes enlarged as a result). It is an overload on a person’s internal organs. She doesn’t have to have high blood pressure, diabetes, or anything else. The weight alone is enough to kill.
But all weight issues aside, I wish her much success.
@ TB
WELL DAMN TELL US HOW YOU REALLY FEEL LOL!
PEOPLE BE SERIOUS. YOU KNOW DAMN WELL THAT SH!T IS UNHEALTHY. LIKE SOMEONE SAID BEFORE IT SOUNDS GOOD TO SAY SHE IS CONFIDENT BUT WHEN YOU WATCH HOW UNCOMFORTABLE SHE IS CONSTANTLY ADJUSTING HER CLOTHES AND FOLDING HER ARMS OVER HER BODY TRYING TO COVER HERSELF THEN YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT EVERY OTHER FAT BLACK CHICK KNOWS BUT DOESN’T WANT TO ADMIT…YOU WOULD GIVE YOUR LEFT TIDDAY TO WAKE UP AND BE THIN TOMORROW. I’M NOT SAYING SHE CAN’T LOVE HERSELF THE WAY SHE IS BUT IF YOU LOVE YOURSELF YOU SHOULD WANT THE BEST FOR YOU. IT’S 2010 AND WE HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO HELP GET HEALTHY. USE THEM. BREATHING HARD AND SWEATING LIKE A PIG JUST FROM TALKING IS NOT THE BUSINESS!
@56 (HEY) and others who have said that we don’t know if she’s unhealthy, you’re incorrect. While I don’t have her medical records, it is common knowledge that being overweight puts an individual at risk for a multitude of heart related diseases, as well as diabetes, and premature death. That can not be denied. So yes she is unhealthy, and it will catch up with her if she doesn’t do something about it. especially since she is not just overweight (but obese). I do think she has a beautiful spirit, but a little diet and exercise, and a lot of self control would go a long way.
Lmaooo omg please tell me someone up there didn’t call this girl’s feet chitlins!! That is so wrong but goodness so funny at the same time.