Sidibe was a student pursuing a degree in psychology when she was cast as the lead role “Precious” in Lee Daniels’s film Precious, based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.
For her role as “Precious,” Sidibe received an Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nomination for Best Actress. Sidibe was awarded both The Film Independent “Independent Spirit Award” and the NAACP Image Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. She also garnered Best Actress nominations from the Screen Actors Guild, Broadcast Film Critics, and British Academy of Film and Television Arts. The National Board of Review awarded her with the Breakthrough Performance Award and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival honored Sidibe with the Vanguard Award for “taking artistic risks and making a significant and unique contribution to film.”
Sidibe can be seen on the fourth season of the Golden Globe nominated SHOWTIME comedic series The Big C opposite Laura Linney. For her role as “Andrea” Sidibe was nominated for an NAACP Image Award.
Sidibe starred in Universal’s action-comedy film Tower Heist opposite Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy for director Brett Ratner. She also made a standout cameo appearance in Martin McDonagh’s Seven Psychopaths. She was last seen in Victoria Mahoney’s independent film Yelling to the Sky which premiered at Berlinale Film Festival.
Sidibe wrapped Gregg Araki’s White Bird in a Blizzard opposite Shailene Woodley as well as the independent dark comedy Gravy opposite Sarah Silverman directed by James Roday. In 2010 Sidibe had the distinct honor of hosting Saturday Night Live.
