Mo'Nique, born Monique Angela Hicks on December 11, 1967, in Baltimore, Maryland, is an American comedian and actress. She first rose to fame as a stand-up comedian and as a star of the UPN sitcom The Parkers (1999–2004). Mo'Nique's was in the film Precious (2009), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Mo'Nique has released several stand-up specials and has been a vocal advocate for issues such as body positivity and racial equality.