Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe, the talented actress best known for her powerful portrayal of Claireece "Precious" Jones in the critically acclaimed film Precious (2009),was born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community in Brooklyn, New York.
Her mother, Alice Tan Ridley, a former special education teacher, made a remarkable career shift, becoming a street performer and singer, while her father, Ibnou Sidibe, a cab driver, brought home the bread. Gabby's parents, of African-American and Senegalese descent, respectively, divorced when she was young, and she grew up in Harlem.
Although Gabby was cast in school plays as a child, she had little interest in acting, having witnessed her mother's financial struggles as a street singer and valuing the security that an education and a desk job could provide. After attending local colleges, Gabby pursued a degree in psychology at Mercy College, but her academic journey took an unexpected turn when a friend phoned her about an audition for Lee Daniels' latest project, Precious (2009).
Instead of attending class, Gabby auditioned and landed the title role as Claireece "Precious" Jones, a 16-year-old who is pregnant for the second time after being raped by her father and is also subjected to constant physical abuse by her mother. Despite the grim subject matter, Precious (2009) has become a critical success and a source of inspiration for many.
While her co-stars, Mo'Nique and Mariah Carey, received significant critical attention, it was Gabby who stole the show as Precious, a character whose personality was a far cry from her own. Those expecting a damaged young woman with no self-esteem were in for a shock after meeting the charming Sidibe, who hopes that her success in the film will motivate others to chase their dreams.
Precious (2009) has opened doors for Sidibe, and she has also completed shooting Yelling to the Sky (2011),a project from the Sundance Lab that also stars Zoë Kravitz, with other projects in the works.
