Fantasia Barrino and Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum’.Photo:Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock; Lionsgate/Kobal/ShutterstockFantasia Barrinowants to swerve into a new genre with her next movie role.When Barrino, 39, spoke withVarietyatELLE’s Women in Hollywood Awards in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the actor and singer spoke to her hopes for future movie roles after making her big-screen debut inThe Color Purple.“I want something very challenging,” Barrino told the outlet. “I want to step out and do a character you’d probably never think of me as. I want you to hate me.”InThe Color Purple, Barrino plays lead character Celie, a Black woman living in the Jim Crow south who the film follows throughout her life. Barrino previously portrayed the characteron Broadwayin the mid-2000s;Whoopi Goldbergoriginally played Celie on screen inSteven Spielberg’s original 1985 film adaptation ofThe Color Purplebook.Barrino said she’d be game for a role in something as action-packed as Keanu Reeves’John Wickmovieseries. “Was John Wick a villain? Maybe not, but he was kick-ass," she told the outlet. “I want something where I can kick ass!”Fantasia Barrino on April 25, 2023.Alberto E. Rodriguez/GettyBarrino is best known for her career in music, spawned when shewon the third season ofAmerican Idolat just 19 years old in 2004. She has taken multiple Broadway roles over the years and released seven studio albums.The Color Purplemarked a return to a character that she was initially hesitant to revisit.“I want to thank Celie, a role that I ran from. And when they called me, I said I was not coming back to play,” she told the audience while taking the stage with her costarsTaraji P. HensonandDanielle Brooksat Tuesday’s event. “But it wasn’t until our great director [Blitz Bazawule] called me and said, ‘I’m giving Celie an imagination,’ and I said, ‘Okay, I’m in.’ “Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Because I was a young lady that went through a lot of things and lost a lot, and lost everything twice,” she added. “I never thought I would be back here in front of y’all.“Fantasia Barrino on June 30, 2023.Arturo Holmes/GettyAside from Barrino, Henson and Brooks,The Color Purplemovie musical also starsHalle Bailey, Louis Gossett Jr., Corey Hawkins, David Alan Grier, Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, H.E.R., Ciara, Jon Batiste and Deon Cole.“Because of Celie, I’m standing here and I want to speak to all of the Celies in the room tonight who didn’t think you could make it out of certain situations,” Barrino said at Tuesday’s event. “All of my Black women who felt like you were not pretty enough [or] you didn’t have what it takes.“The Color Purpleis in theaters Dec. 25.
Fantasia Barrino and Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum’.Photo:Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock; Lionsgate/Kobal/Shutterstock
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock; Lionsgate/Kobal/Shutterstock
Fantasia Barrinowants to swerve into a new genre with her next movie role.When Barrino, 39, spoke withVarietyatELLE’s Women in Hollywood Awards in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the actor and singer spoke to her hopes for future movie roles after making her big-screen debut inThe Color Purple.“I want something very challenging,” Barrino told the outlet. “I want to step out and do a character you’d probably never think of me as. I want you to hate me.”InThe Color Purple, Barrino plays lead character Celie, a Black woman living in the Jim Crow south who the film follows throughout her life. Barrino previously portrayed the characteron Broadwayin the mid-2000s;Whoopi Goldbergoriginally played Celie on screen inSteven Spielberg’s original 1985 film adaptation ofThe Color Purplebook.Barrino said she’d be game for a role in something as action-packed as Keanu Reeves’John Wickmovieseries. “Was John Wick a villain? Maybe not, but he was kick-ass,” she told the outlet. “I want something where I can kick ass!”Fantasia Barrino on April 25, 2023.Alberto E. Rodriguez/GettyBarrino is best known for her career in music, spawned when shewon the third season ofAmerican Idolat just 19 years old in 2004. She has taken multiple Broadway roles over the years and released seven studio albums.The Color Purplemarked a return to a character that she was initially hesitant to revisit.“I want to thank Celie, a role that I ran from. And when they called me, I said I was not coming back to play,” she told the audience while taking the stage with her costarsTaraji P. HensonandDanielle Brooksat Tuesday’s event. “But it wasn’t until our great director [Blitz Bazawule] called me and said, ‘I’m giving Celie an imagination,’ and I said, ‘Okay, I’m in.’ “Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Because I was a young lady that went through a lot of things and lost a lot, and lost everything twice,” she added. “I never thought I would be back here in front of y’all.“Fantasia Barrino on June 30, 2023.Arturo Holmes/GettyAside from Barrino, Henson and Brooks,The Color Purplemovie musical also starsHalle Bailey, Louis Gossett Jr., Corey Hawkins, David Alan Grier, Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, H.E.R., Ciara, Jon Batiste and Deon Cole.“Because of Celie, I’m standing here and I want to speak to all of the Celies in the room tonight who didn’t think you could make it out of certain situations,” Barrino said at Tuesday’s event. “All of my Black women who felt like you were not pretty enough [or] you didn’t have what it takes.“The Color Purpleis in theaters Dec. 25.
Fantasia Barrinowants to swerve into a new genre with her next movie role.
When Barrino, 39, spoke withVarietyatELLE’s Women in Hollywood Awards in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the actor and singer spoke to her hopes for future movie roles after making her big-screen debut inThe Color Purple.
“I want something very challenging,” Barrino told the outlet. “I want to step out and do a character you’d probably never think of me as. I want you to hate me.”
InThe Color Purple, Barrino plays lead character Celie, a Black woman living in the Jim Crow south who the film follows throughout her life. Barrino previously portrayed the characteron Broadwayin the mid-2000s;Whoopi Goldbergoriginally played Celie on screen inSteven Spielberg’s original 1985 film adaptation ofThe Color Purplebook.
Barrino said she’d be game for a role in something as action-packed as Keanu Reeves’John Wickmovieseries. “Was John Wick a villain? Maybe not, but he was kick-ass,” she told the outlet. “I want something where I can kick ass!”
Fantasia Barrino on April 25, 2023.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty
Barrino is best known for her career in music, spawned when shewon the third season ofAmerican Idolat just 19 years old in 2004. She has taken multiple Broadway roles over the years and released seven studio albums.The Color Purplemarked a return to a character that she was initially hesitant to revisit.
“I want to thank Celie, a role that I ran from. And when they called me, I said I was not coming back to play,” she told the audience while taking the stage with her costarsTaraji P. HensonandDanielle Brooksat Tuesday’s event. “But it wasn’t until our great director [Blitz Bazawule] called me and said, ‘I’m giving Celie an imagination,’ and I said, ‘Okay, I’m in.’ "
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“Because I was a young lady that went through a lot of things and lost a lot, and lost everything twice,” she added. “I never thought I would be back here in front of y’all.”
Fantasia Barrino on June 30, 2023.Arturo Holmes/Getty
Arturo Holmes/Getty
Aside from Barrino, Henson and Brooks,The Color Purplemovie musical also starsHalle Bailey, Louis Gossett Jr., Corey Hawkins, David Alan Grier, Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, H.E.R., Ciara, Jon Batiste and Deon Cole.
“Because of Celie, I’m standing here and I want to speak to all of the Celies in the room tonight who didn’t think you could make it out of certain situations,” Barrino said at Tuesday’s event. “All of my Black women who felt like you were not pretty enough [or] you didn’t have what it takes.”
The Color Purpleis in theaters Dec. 25.
source: people.com
