Gabourey Sidibe Is Too Busy Winning to Pay Any Mind to People Squawking About Her 'Empire' Sex Scene

Robert Kessler
·Editor
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Gabourey Sidibe (Getty Images)

Gabourey Sidibe knows exactly where you can take your negative opinions about seeing a “plus sized, dark-skinned woman” having a sex scene on primetime television: the left.

“I keep hearing that people are ‘hating’ on it,” the Academy Award nominee wrote in an Entertainment Weekly blog about last week’s episode of Empire. “I’m not sure how anyone could hate on love but that’s okay. You may have your memes. Honestly, I’m at work too busy to check Twitter anyway. #Booked.”

On the episode, Sidibe’s character Becky gets hot and heavy with J-Poppa (played by Mo McRae) on a rooftop.

Related: ‘Empire’ Recap: Cookie Gets the Horns

Asked about the scene, Sidibe said that she was very nervous before shooting (understandable) but is really proud of it.

“I was obviously nervous during when we were rehearsing,” Sidibe told People. “And [Mo] was like, ‘So what’s that about? Is it that the cameras…?’ I was like, 'No, no. I’m just weird about whether or not I’m touching too much or I’m bothering you.’ I’m just like, 'I’m going to do what I want with you, and you’re going to be fine with that.’ And he’s like, 'Yeah, I’m fine with that.'”

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Get it, Gabby

“I’m really proud of the work that I’ve done,” she continued. “I’m really, really proud of it. I think the scene was really fun and lovely and sexy. I felt beautiful, and I felt comfortable, and I didn’t look nervous at all, and I was kind of nervous, so I’m really glad that that didn’t come across.”

Related: Gabourey Sidibe’s 'Empire’ Role Originally Called for a 'Petite White Woman’

Empire has racked up a lot of TV firsts in its short but acclaimed run thus far.

“After we were shooting it, the camera guy came over, and he said, 'I’ve never shot a scene like this. And I’ve never seen a scene like this,’” Sidibe told People. “I was really happy to be part of something that’s never been seen on primetime television before. And you don’t notice it because you don’t have to notice it, but there’s never been someone of my skin color, my size, with somebody else of the same skin color in a love scene on primetime television.”