Mo’Nique is set to reunite with director Lee Daniels in Demon House, a long-in-development horror film that had an open slot for its lead actress.
Previous star Octavia Spencer had to drop out due to commitments with Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told, allowing Mo’Nique to step in. The comedian previously collaborated with Lee Daniels on 2009’s award-winning Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, and the aftermath of that film’s promotional period created a divide between them.
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Back in 2009, Mo’Nique refused to do the typical media tour for Precious during Oscar season, saying that it wasn’t part of her contract. After the fact, she publically stated that Lee Daniels was working with Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry to blackball her from Hollywood. Not only is this the first time the two will work together since the release of Precious, but it is said in Deadline’s exclusive report about the news that the two didn’t speak for thirteen years following the dispute.
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Mo’Nique also had a notable scuffle with Netflix in 2019, stating that she was being offered far too little money for an hour of comedy when compared to other female performers. That dispute ended up in court, but the two parties are obviously happy to work together in this instance. Production for Demon House begins in June, with the final film hoping to successfully adapt a well-known case from the 2010s where a mother and three children experienced paranormal events in their home in Gary, IN.
