Even if you don’t recognize her now, you will. This is Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, the break-out star of the Oprah/Tyler Perry produced Precious. Based on the novel “Push” by Saphirre (a New York Poet), Precious is the story of a 350lb teenager living in 1987 Harlem. It’s often touching and funny, but terribly sad, and Gabby was made for this part. Holding her own against Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz, Gabby has already been mentioned for Oscar contention.

This former secretary, that used to battle with her self esteem, finds herself in a new city every week – promoting the movie and gaining lots of attention. In interviews she is humble and sweet. She giggles and laughs and smiles at everyone. She brings her mother to red carpet events and, during interviews, will peek back at her mom just to check in.

It’s about time we had more reality in Hollywood – more women that prove you don’t need to be tiny to shine on camera. And Gabby knows it -

 ”Because I am not, I guess, of a normal weight, people look at me like I am not worth a life and stuff. And I have been told plenty of times that my life would never mean anything – That type of negative self-image, it can drive someone to death, absolutely. And so while I believed that for a lot of time in my life, eventually I stopped listening,”

I just LOVE this woman! She is already in talks for a second movie and I can’t wait to see more of her.

Tig