10 Best Movie Villains Played By Comedians

The movie 'Precious' - based on the book 'Push' by Sapphire - is the furthest thing possible from comedy. It's a heartbreaking and gut-wrenching movie that will leave you in tears - not resulting from laughter. This is what makes the ever-amusing Mo'Nique's performance as the crass and unlikeable villain so compelling.

Mo'Nique takes on the role of Mary Jones, the mother of leading protagonist Claireece 'Precious' Jones, and this is not a mother/daughter relationship you'd want. Mary is a cruel parent to Precious, physically striking her all the time and constantly putting her down to make her feel worthless. It's easy to sympathise with the eponymous character as her mother is such a horrifying figure.

Part of what makes this such an outstanding performance is her ability to hold tension and power through quietness. Performers often think being intimidating means being loud and aggressive all the time, but Mo'Nique knew precisely when to play it smaller so that her outbursts become all the more shocking.

Aside from this, her performance is incredibly believable, and her final tear-infused scene is some of the best acting in the movie. It's no surprise that she bagged herself an Oscar for this role, as her performance is truly exceptional.