Mo’Nique and her husband, Sydney Hicks, have a very special relationship. Hicks is not only her husband but serves as her manager, mouthpiece, and sidepiece since the couple has been open about sharing their bedroom with others. While Mo’Nique has worked hard to defend their union over the years, she recently said that the duo has grown out of their open marriage. Hicks says it’s been a long journey for him and his wife, as Mo’Nique started as his “little girl.”
Mo’Nique’s journey in love is as unique as her career. The Oscar-nominated actress kissed a few frogs before finding her prince. Mo’Nique briefly dated a man named Kenny Mung for a while. After that, she married a man named Mark Jackson. The duo shares two sons together, Mark Eric Jackson Jr and Shalon Calvin Hicks. They were married from 1997 to 2001. In 2005 she began dating and eventually married Sidney Hicks. They tied the knot in 2006, and Hicks has been a crucial part of Mo’Nique’s career ever since. They share twin boys, Jonathan and David Hicks.
When the industry began trying to “take advantage of Mo’Nique” by having her do free press for the film Precious, Sydney was the one who advised his wife of her worth and told her to decline those appearances. While Mo’Nique still went on to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, the damage was done, and Tyler Perry, Lee Daniels, and Oprah all blackballed her.
Sydney has been by his wife’s side throughout her entire ordeal, fighting for her just dues, and along the way, they have opened up about their open marriage. Mo’Nique admits that she initially asked for an open dynamic because it was something she felt she deserved as the breadwinner. However, Sydney was able to reason with her about making things fair, and they have compromised over the years.
Mo’Nique explained that the choice to open things up was not just motivated by sex. “When I said I had an open marriage, people automatically jumped to sex. They automatically went there. But I’ve been best friends with my husband since we were 14 years old,” she told news outlets. “When we say open, we’re very honest. There are no secrets. Oftentimes you have people that are married, but they’re strangers, and we refuse to be those people.”nNow the “best friends” are moving into a new realm. They have decided to “close” their marriage, meaning they no longer entertain others in their bedroom.
According to Mo’Nique, “life began to happen.” Mo says that Sydney has loved her at her worst, and she no longer wanted to sacrifice that “for a lay.”bSydney has opened up over the years about their evolution as well. According to him, Mo’Nique has been several different women to him. His partner, his sister, and sometimes his “little girl.”
Mo’Nique agrees with this and has even credited Sydney with “raising” her over the years. Which is why she often calls him “daddy.”
