So…you all have heard about the upcoming movie Precious, right? It’s based on the book Push by Sapphire. Have any of you read it? If not…wow. I read it back in the day when I was probably far too young (I snuck and read a lot of books with very mature content back in day, though- tee hee)  but I remember it and recently went home and found my original hardcover copy (ok. it was on my bookshelf, so ‘found’ is an exaggeration, but still). I’m thinking of re-reading it before the movie premieres on November 6, but it’s one of those books that troubles you to your soul- like Beloved by Toni Morrison…sometimes, you can only stand to read it once, anything else is kind of traumatic. To get a better idea of what I’m talking about, check out the trailer:

Riiight. Want a little more? Here’s a summary of the film from a recent New York Times Magazine cover story– “Graphic as the film is, it is less so than “Push,” the 1996 novel on which it is based. Written by an African-American poet and writer known as Sapphire, “Push” relied on intentionally misspelled, broken and slangy English to convey Precious’s sense of despair and rage. The novel mixes poems by Precious with sexually extreme scenes, like those in which she is forced to perform oral sex on her mother. It is almost relentlessly bleak: when Precious discovers she is H.I.V.-positive, she is certain of her imminent death. Daniels’s movie, by contrast, offers a greater sense of possibility. He doesn’t ignore her disease, hardships or struggles, but he also liberates her from them. Precious is a stand-in for anyone — black, white, male, female — who has ever been devalued or underestimated.”

Now, the movie is a definite must see…but I want to focus, for a moment on the title character, newcomer Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, a Brooklyn-born, Harlem raised homegirl who is getting.it.IN. And not just in the film. Looking at Gabby, I’m sure you assume something about her, if you’re honest. She’s dark-skinned and overweight, either of which is not generally considered desirable in our community (and you can define “our” any way you choose); the combination of both, definitely not. But don’t get your girl wrong, she’s not the shy, quiet, keep my head down and try to hide inside myself, invisible to boys chick that some may mistake her for. On the contrary, she, unlike many young girls clearly knows her worth and has self-confidence like no other. Don’t believe me? Check her out in the New York Magazine story.

“They try to paint the picture that I was this downtrodden, ugly girl who was unpopular in school and in life, and then I got this role and now I’m awesome,” says the actress. “But the truth is that I’ve been awesome, and then I got this role.”

‘Daniels, who saw hundreds of audition tapes from across the country (350-pound actresses don’t grow on trees), was blown away by Sidibe. “She is unequivocally comfortable in her body, in a very bizarre way. Either she’s in a state of denial or she’s so elevated that she’s on another level,” he says. “I had no doubt in my mind that she had four or five boyfriends, easily.”

“I learned to love myself, because I sleep with myself every night and I wake up with myself every morning, and if I don’t like myself, there’s no reason to even live the life. I love the way I look. I’m fine with it. And if my body changes, I’ll be fine with that.”

“And, of course, Gabourey Sidibe is more likely to bitch-slap a boy than the reverse. Is she still juggling four or five boyfriends? “Yes, but I don’t want to get serious enough to call them boyfriends,” she says. “This one guy, I’ve deleted his number. I would text him at 7 p.m., and he’d be like, ‘I’m at BBQ’s.’ But the thing is, you don’t go to BBQ’s with your boys, you go with a girl. Then he’d call me at eleven. I’m like, ‘Why don’t you call me at six when you’re ready to go to BBQ’s?’ ” Her voice quickens with a touch of rage. “Don’t, don’t, don’t! I’m not a regular girl. I just got off a plane from France. You need to check yourself.”

WHAT?! How can you not LOVE this chick?! Want some more? Well, you can check girlie out on the COVER (say word!) of The New York Times Magazine.

Now THAT’S really a bIg deal. The story’s kind of long, but here’s a (relevant) little taste.

“Unlike Precious, Sidibe is well spoken and cheerful. “I’m not her,” Sidibe said emphatically. “But, when I was 14 or 15, I saw myself in a different way. Back then, I envied a life that I’d made up in my mind. I broke free of that unhappiness and I decided to change — I was going to be happy with myself. No matter what I look like, no matter what people think.”

May we all be so lucky…so support her on November 6th, y’all! I know I will be.