Gabourey Sidibe
Sidibe in 2015, photo by DFree/Bigstock.com
Place of Birth: Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: May 6, 1983
Ethnicity:
*Senegalese (father)
*African-American (mother)
Gabourey Sidibe is an American actress and author. She has starred in the film Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, and on the show American Horror Story.
Her name is pronounced GAB-ə-ray SID-i-bay. Her father, Ibnou Sidibe, is a Senegalese-born taxi driver. The surname Sidibe is of Fulani origin. Her mother, Alice Tan Ridley, is African-American, originally from Georgia, and was an R&B singer. Her aunt is activist, public speaker, author, and pioneering African-American small business owner Dorothy Pitman Hughes. She was studying for a psychology degree at Mercy College when the opportunity to audition for Precious came up.
Gabourey is married to talent manager Brandon Frankel, with whom she has two children.
Gabourey’s maternal grandparents likely are named Ray Ridley and Lessie.
Sidibe in 2009, photo credit: gdcgraphics
I think she’s pretty, and yes she could and should lose weight for health reasons and to improve her image and be considered for more roles. She is very talented (although I was really amazed by Mo’nique’s performance the most in Precious) and a real success story. Of course Hollywood’s endless “be happy in your own skin” preach that has sprung up recently is total b.s., but what’re you gonna do. Anyway, Gabourey is amazing and I am proud there are people like her out there!
She is beautiful in personality from what I’ve seen. I saw her on Leno and she has a stunning personality; very nice and down-to-earth woman. However, having said that, she is very unattractive in the way she allows herself to look. There was a time when you had to be physically beautiful to be in movies. Not anymore. And I am not being disrespectful to her by saying this. I am just stating a fact. I am sorry, we have this thing in America where we tell people to be happy “in their own skin” and that is just bull. She is at risk for diabetes, heart problems, high cholesterol, etc. and should take care of her health. A significant part of beauty is how you take care of your overall health, which includes your body. And I am not suggesting that you need to be a 75 pound anorexic girl that we see in magazines today. I think that is equally very unattractive.
I Love You Gabourey Sidibe! You Are So Lucky! And To Me She Is Big But Beautiful On The Inside And The Outside! And How Can She Be Ugly With Her Personality. She Is Such A Kind Hearted Person!
i agree gabby is very beautifull and a very good actress. she is a brooklyn born girl raised straight out of new york and have been to senegal 5 times through out her life i would know cuz im her brother…
Hello Ahmed,
I was wondering if your sister Gabby as well as you and your father are Muslim. The name Ahmed (Mashaallah) speaks for itself.
The reason I asked is because we inquire about a lot of actors/resses, who’s names and heritage seem to stem from Islam.
I love your sister Gabby. I don’t think no one could have played her part better. She’s a winner. Being Muslim we don’t go to see a lot of movies especially with fowl language and nudity, but everybody was talking about how awesome this movie was. It was EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Umm Hamzah
thanks Lauren and Kira. Ill be sure to check it out.