<> at Midtown Art Cinema Theatre on April 7, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mo’Nique is continuing to be candid about her open marriage with Sidney Hicks, though she’s now explaining how she ultimately “grew out of” the arrangement.
Her comments came during a recent sit-down with The Hollywood Reporter, and the comedienne started off by speaking on how she and her family are in the process of welcoming “a new chapter.”
“It’s a new chapter, but not because of Hollywood. It’s a new chapter because my babies are graduating high school. It’s a new chapter because my grandson will be going to kindergarten next year, and my granddaughter to the fifth grade.”
Mo’Nique added, “Those things, for me, are the priority.”
On the subject of open marriage, the “Queen of Comedy” segued to speaking on her and her husband’s past arrangement, which has discussed on the Mo’Nique and Sidney’s Open Relationship podcast.
While speaking with THR, Mo’Nique revealed that they’ve both begun to put the brakes on their extramarital trysts, as “life began to happen.”
Specifically, she said that she realized she “didn’t want to sacrifice” what she and Sidney had “just for a lay.” Mo’Nique also spoke on how she “began to see a strength [she] had never seen before.” As a result, the Bessie actress “grew out of that.”
“Life began to happen. I began to see a strength I had never seen before. He loved me at my worst. I didn’t want to sacrifice that just for a lay. So I grew out of that.”
In addition to speaking on the shifting dynamics within their relationship, Mo’Nique also praised her husband for being “the best manager.”
“He’s the best manager that I’ve ever had. And I’ve had the big boys.”
Mo’Nique first opened up about the arrangement back during a 2006 interview with Essence.
When later reflecting on the revelation, she spoke on how the open marriage was entirely her idea, as she “wanted to still have sex with who [she] was seeing.”
“It was not Sidney’s idea to have an open marriage. It was mine.”
While the situation worked for her and Sidney, Mo’Nique acknowledged the public’s inflammatory response to the matter, as she noted, “People lost their minds.”
She went on to add, “They thought we were having these orgies.”
However, she noted that—as they’re both busy with their children—there is “not a whole lot of time to be doing a whole lot of slinging.”
What do you think about her comments?
