Gabby Sidibe, Who Once Had Self-Esteem Issues, Now Flaunts Slimmer Body & Her Fiancé Reacts

Gabby Sidibe is in a happy and healthy relationship with Brandon Frankel. In one of her recent posts, her proud fiancé made sure to react to photos of herself wearing a gorgeous flowy dress.

Gabby Sidibe is one busy woman promoting her new podcast called "If I Go Missing, The Witches Did It." To promote her latest project, she guested on "Good Morning America," wearing a black and white flowy dress.

The actress glowed in the white ensemble, highlighting her look with pink blush and a bright pink lip. Fans and friends flocked to the comment section of her post to comment on her beauty and how good she looked.

If there was one comment that stood out from the rest, though, it would be her fiancé Brandon Frankel's. Though it was short and sweet, the fact that he commented with several heart-eyes emojis says a lot about his admiration for Sidibe.

GABBY'S CHILDHOOD

Born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 6, 1983, Sidibe first rose to fame with the film, "Precious." Her mom, Alice Tan Ridley, is a former special education teacher who left her career to become a street performer and singer.

Meanwhile, her father, Ibnou Sidibe, worked as a cab driver. Her mom is of African-American descent, while her dad is Senegalese. Although they split when she was young, she still grew up in New York, particularly Harlem.

Her first venture into acting started when she was in school when she'd always be cast in plays. However, she had no interest in acting because she saw how her mom struggled as a street singer, and she wanted security.

HER START IN THE INDUSTRY

Sidibe ended up pursuing a degree in psychology at Mercy College. While studying for an exam, a friend called her about auditioning for Lee Daniels' "Precious." She ended up auditioning and landed the title role as Claireece "Precious" Jones.

"Precious" was a heavy movie, where she plays a sixteen-year-old who is pregnant a second time after being raped by her father and is on the receiving end of abuse by her mom. Although it was grim, it was a hit, becoming a source of inspiration for many.

A CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED ROLE

The film also starred Mo'Nique and Mariah Carey, who received a great deal of attention because of it. However, Sidibe carried the whole movie through, and it ultimately opened doors for her.

After receiving a Best Actress Oscar nomination for "Precious," she starred in "Yelling to the Sky" and, more recently, on "Empire." In 2017, she released a memoir titled "This Is Just My Face," where she talks about her struggles with mental health.

HER STRUGGLES WITH MENTAL HEALTH

The actress revealed she underwent weight-loss surgery in the past and had bouts with depression and bulimia. She acknowledged that therapy did so well for her, especially when she felt her mother seemed unconcerned. She said:

"When I first told her I was depressed, she laughed at me. Literally. Not because she's a terrible person, but because she thought it was a joke."

SUFFERING FROM BULIMIA

The New Yorker shared that she kept to herself, and this resulted in panic attacks and an eating disorder that would have her stop eating for days. In the end, because of her depression, she would not eat until she wanted to throw up.

At the time, she believed that was the only time she could distract herself from her thoughts. She sought treatment for depression and bulimia, and up until today, she continues to manage her mental health actively.

AN ESCAPE FROM HER SADNESS

Sidibe encouraged others who are feeling depressed to see a therapist, too, claiming it's "worth it." Aside from working with a therapist, the actress also works with a nutritionist to make sure she eats healthy to properly manage her diabetes.

Just this year, she opened up about her eating disorder in an episode of "Peace of Mind with Taraji," where she said bulimia isn't just for "skinny girls."

COPING WITH HER ISSUES

Taraji P. Henson opened up the conversation by saying those suffering from depression and have low self-esteem are more likely to be bulimic. Sidibe agreed, explaining she saw throwing up as the "button" to stop her depression and anxiety.

When the actress was still in school, she shared that she would always be crying. One time, she was crying so much she felt like she had to throw up. However, once she was done, her tear ducts dried, and she was no longer sweating.

FINDING COMFORT IN LOVE

Ultimately, Sidibe thought that throwing up was finally the answer to what was going on. To her, it wasn't about losing weight or controlling her appetite, but it was about stopping herself from crying and controlling her emotions.

In the end, she realized the situation was getting worse than before, which is why she decided to take control of her life and seek help. Aside from seeking help, she now gets a lot of comfort, love, and assurance from her boyfriend.

TRUE LOVE WITH BRANDON

Frankel and the "Empire" star got engaged in November 2020, and since then, they've constantly shared photos of one another on Instagram. Frankel works as a branding and marketing expert, and they have been dating since 2019.

More than being a couple, the pair values being best friends more than anything. The star has been open about their love on social media, saying she's "learned so much" about herself through Frankel.

Sidibe showed off her ring in a selfie with her fiancé on Instagram, and it's a gorgeous round-cut diamond in white gold. While they don't have children together, they do share a cat which they consider their child.