One Day I Decided I Was Beautiful, Gabourey Sidibe Says

She’s Precious in the critically acclaimed movie “Precious.” Gabourey Sidibe is also far from what the industry would conceive of a superstar, yet her talent and extreme confidence have already gotten her noticed with the biggest publications and outlets, not only home in the US, but internationally as well. In the latest issue of Harper’s Bazaar, out on January 12, Gabourey talks of her image, her insecurities and her amazing self-confidence.

Gabourey grew up feeling ugly because of her weight. In time, she learned to think of herself as the kind of girl that would never get to stand in front of a camera and pose like she’d seen other, much slimmer female stars did. She was often found crying because others would pick on her because of her fuller figure, which did nothing in terms of helping her improve her confidence. Then, one day, she decided she was beautiful – and it was then that everything changed for her, the actress tells Harper’s.

“People always ask me, ‘You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?’ It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see,” the star says of her amazing confidence.

Posing for Harper’s Bazaar, a genuine fashion bible, was like a dream come true for her, she goes on to say. “I feel like a model. It justifies everyone in my life who told me I wouldn’t be anything until I lost weight. It justifies that little girl who cried because she didn’t think she could be in front of the camera. And it’s for other girls who feel like they can’t do this or that and feel like they’re not pretty and not worthy of having their photo taken,” Gabourey says.

In the same interview, the star, who already has movie critics thinking an Oscar nomination is almost certain for her part in the “Precious” drama, also talks about her idols. Justin Timberlake and Bradley Cooper are just two of the male stars she’s a fan of, though she does admit that choosing is rather hard since there are “so many hot dudes in Hollywood” right now.