Gabourey Sidibe

Gabourey Sidibe was born on May 6, 1983, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community of Brooklyn, New York. Her mother, Alice Tan Ridley, was a former special education teacher who became a street performer and singer, while her father, Ibnou Sidibe, worked as a cab driver. Her parents separated when she was young, and Sidibe was raised in Harlem. Although she participated in school plays, acting was not her initial career focus. She pursued a degree in psychology at Mercy College, aiming for a stable, desk-based profession, having observed her mother’s financial challenges in the arts.

Sidibe’s career trajectory changed unexpectedly when a friend informed her about an audition for Lee Daniels’ film, “Precious.” Instead of attending a college exam, she was cast in the lead role of Claireece “Precious” Jones, a 16-year-old facing abuse and multiple pregnancies. This debut performance in 2009 garnered significant critical acclaim, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, a BAFTA Award nomination, a Golden Globe Award nomination, and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. “Precious” also received two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Award, establishing Sidibe as a notable talent.

Following her breakthrough role, Sidibe expanded her filmography with diverse projects. She appeared in the film “Yelling to the Sky” (2011), an independent project from the Sundance Lab, where she played a bully. In 2011, she also featured in the heist comedy “Tower Heist” and provided a voice for an episode of “American Dad!” Her television career further developed with a main role in the comedy-drama series “The Big C” (2010–2013) as Andrea Jackson. She joined the cast of “American Horror Story” for multiple seasons, portraying Queenie in “Coven” (2013–2014) and “Hotel” (2016), and Regina Ross in “Freak Show” (2014), subsequently returning as Queenie in “Apocalypse” (2018). From 2015 to 2020, Sidibe held a main role as Becky Williams in Lee Daniels’ musical series “Empire.” Her directorial debut came in 2017 with the film “The Tale of Four.” In 2017, she also published her memoir, “This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare.” She married Brandon Frankel in 2021 and welcomed twins in 2024.