Whoopi Goldberg, Cynthia Erivo, Fantasia Barrino.Photo:Warner Brothers/Getty; Walter McBride/WireImage; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Brothers/Getty; Walter McBride/WireImage; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Since then, the coming-of-age drama has seen several iterations on Broadway.The Color Purpleplay debuted at the Broadway Theatre in N.Y.C. in 2005 and starredLaChanze, Felicia P. Fields, Kingsley Leggs, Elisabeth Withers-Mendes, Brandon Victor Dixon, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Krisha Marcano and more. The show, which ran until 2008, scored LaChanze a best actress in a musical Tony for her powerful performance as Celie. Another critically acclaimed revival came in 2015.
As we gear up for the Dec. 25 premiere of the film, here’s a look at some of the actors who’ve played the same character inThe Color Purplefrom the original movie, the 2015 Broadway revival and now, the new film.
01of 10Oprah Winfrey & Danielle Brooks as SofiaOprah, Danielle Brooks.Warner Brothers/Getty; Walter McBride/WireImage; Warner Bros. PicturesLong before she became the mega media mogul we know her to be today, Oprah Winfrey cut her teeth in the acting world playing Sofia in the Steven Spielberg film.“Doingthe [original] film wasthe most important thing that had ever happened to me and continues to be a central theme in my life,“Winfrey told PEOPLEin her December 2023 cover story. “It’s as big a miracle as my whole life has been, because I didn’t know one single soul in the business.“Years later,Danielle Brookswould take on the bold, outspoken character for the 2015 Broadway revival and now, the 2023 film.Playing Sofia was a major turning point for theOrange Is the New Blackalumna, too. Though she got major praise for her portrayal of Sofia, years of rejection in Hollywood continued to gnaw at her even as she found success. But channeling the character helped her break through.“I was on the stage, doing my thing and God blessed me with a Tony nomination and I was terrified … and so I got imposter syndrome,” she revealed while at the Black Excellence Brunch in Los Angeles on Dec. 3. “I was like, ‘I can’t do this.’ But it was [The Color Purple’s]story, it was the music and getting to sing ‘Hell No’ every night. Getting to say ‘hell no,’ to my fears, ‘hell no’ to [thinking] I’m not enough. That I’m not worthy,” she said.“Now, however many years later, getting to star in this, I feel God has prepared me. I’m ready to receive and walk into this [chapter],” she concluded.
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Oprah Winfrey & Danielle Brooks as Sofia
Oprah, Danielle Brooks.Warner Brothers/Getty; Walter McBride/WireImage; Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Brothers/Getty; Walter McBride/WireImage; Warner Bros. Pictures
Long before she became the mega media mogul we know her to be today, Oprah Winfrey cut her teeth in the acting world playing Sofia in the Steven Spielberg film.
“Doingthe [original] film wasthe most important thing that had ever happened to me and continues to be a central theme in my life,“Winfrey told PEOPLEin her December 2023 cover story. “It’s as big a miracle as my whole life has been, because I didn’t know one single soul in the business.”
Years later,Danielle Brookswould take on the bold, outspoken character for the 2015 Broadway revival and now, the 2023 film.
Playing Sofia was a major turning point for theOrange Is the New Blackalumna, too. Though she got major praise for her portrayal of Sofia, years of rejection in Hollywood continued to gnaw at her even as she found success. But channeling the character helped her break through.
“I was on the stage, doing my thing and God blessed me with a Tony nomination and I was terrified … and so I got imposter syndrome,” she revealed while at the Black Excellence Brunch in Los Angeles on Dec. 3. “I was like, ‘I can’t do this.’ But it was [The Color Purple’s]story, it was the music and getting to sing ‘Hell No’ every night. Getting to say ‘hell no,’ to my fears, ‘hell no’ to [thinking] I’m not enough. That I’m not worthy,” she said.
“Now, however many years later, getting to star in this, I feel God has prepared me. I’m ready to receive and walk into this [chapter],” she concluded.
02of 10Whoopi Goldberg, Cynthia Erivo & Fantasia Barrino as CelieWhoopi Goldberg, Cynthia Erivo, Fantasia Barrino.Warner Brothers/Getty; Walter McBride/WireImage; Courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesWhoopi Goldberg played the role of Celie so well, she snagged her first Oscar nod, getting nominated for Best Actress at the 1986 Academy Awards.Cynthia Erivothen took over the role in 2015 and also delivered a powerful performance that not only won a Tony, but also trophies for outstanding actress in a musical at the Drama Desk Awards in 2016, as well as outstanding musical performance in a daytime program at the 2017 Daytime Emmy Awards.Now stepping up isFantasia Barrino— who previously played Celie on Broadway back in 2007 — whose powerful performance has already generated Oscar buzz and locked in a Golden Globe nomination for 2024.
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Whoopi Goldberg, Cynthia Erivo & Fantasia Barrino as Celie
Whoopi Goldberg, Cynthia Erivo, Fantasia Barrino.Warner Brothers/Getty; Walter McBride/WireImage; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Whoopi Goldberg played the role of Celie so well, she snagged her first Oscar nod, getting nominated for Best Actress at the 1986 Academy Awards.
Cynthia Erivothen took over the role in 2015 and also delivered a powerful performance that not only won a Tony, but also trophies for outstanding actress in a musical at the Drama Desk Awards in 2016, as well as outstanding musical performance in a daytime program at the 2017 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Now stepping up isFantasia Barrino— who previously played Celie on Broadway back in 2007 — whose powerful performance has already generated Oscar buzz and locked in a Golden Globe nomination for 2024.
03of 10Margaret Avery, Jennifer Hudson & Taraji P. Henson as Shug AveryMargaret Avery, Jennifer Hudson, Taraji P. Henson.Warner Brothers/Getty; Walter McBride/WireImage; Courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesActress Margaret Avery wowed the audience with her enamoring and heartfelt portrayal of Shug Avery — a flamboyant Blues singer, characterized as “loose” in the film. Since then, actresses who’ve stepped into the role have made it a point to capture her charm, freedom and ambition.Jennifer Hudsonplayed the role in the 2015 Broadway revival andTaraji P. Hensonhas equally wowed critics with her portrayal in the upcoming film.Interestingly, Henson actually turned down the role for Broadway back in 2007. “I know my vocal cords. I just knew that I couldn’t withstand eight shows a week,” she said while onThe View.“So, I ran, but [Shug] found me. I guess what gave me the courage this time was Blitz because he just believed in me so much,” she explained.
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Margaret Avery, Jennifer Hudson & Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery
Margaret Avery, Jennifer Hudson, Taraji P. Henson.Warner Brothers/Getty; Walter McBride/WireImage; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Actress Margaret Avery wowed the audience with her enamoring and heartfelt portrayal of Shug Avery — a flamboyant Blues singer, characterized as “loose” in the film. Since then, actresses who’ve stepped into the role have made it a point to capture her charm, freedom and ambition.
Jennifer Hudsonplayed the role in the 2015 Broadway revival andTaraji P. Hensonhas equally wowed critics with her portrayal in the upcoming film.
Interestingly, Henson actually turned down the role for Broadway back in 2007. “I know my vocal cords. I just knew that I couldn’t withstand eight shows a week,” she said while onThe View.“So, I ran, but [Shug] found me. I guess what gave me the courage this time was Blitz because he just believed in me so much,” she explained.
04of 10Desreta Jackson & Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as Young CelieDesreta Jackson, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi.Warner Brothers/Getty; Courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesDesreta Jackson played Whoopi Goldberg’s younger counterpart inThe Color Purplein 1985.In a touchingInstagram postshared on Nov. 29, the actress reflected on making the original film, writing, “It has been 40 years since the making of The Color Purple. Wow. I was in Jr. High when I landed the role of ‘Young Celie.’ “She went on to detail the arduous process of auditioning for the role, before alluding to the dark parallels that connected her to Celie. “Although I wasn’t nervous or excited, I was concerned about not having to return home because home was always full of consequences,” she wrote. “Those consequences allowed me to connect, understand and form the methodology of my character, Celie. She was me, and I was her.“Breakout starPhylicia Pearl Mpasiis now taking over the role and bringing new life to the character. “It is joyous, it is fun, it is sad, it’s traumatic, it’s dramatic, but at the end of the day, it is a story of a Black woman who is the hero and the center of a story,”she told PEOPLE. “And I think people are going to leave feeling triumphant and they can take on any of the problems the world throws at them because Celie can.”
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Desreta Jackson & Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as Young Celie
Desreta Jackson, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi.Warner Brothers/Getty; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Brothers/Getty; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Desreta Jackson played Whoopi Goldberg’s younger counterpart inThe Color Purplein 1985.
In a touchingInstagram postshared on Nov. 29, the actress reflected on making the original film, writing, “It has been 40 years since the making of The Color Purple. Wow. I was in Jr. High when I landed the role of ‘Young Celie.’ "
She went on to detail the arduous process of auditioning for the role, before alluding to the dark parallels that connected her to Celie. “Although I wasn’t nervous or excited, I was concerned about not having to return home because home was always full of consequences,” she wrote. “Those consequences allowed me to connect, understand and form the methodology of my character, Celie. She was me, and I was her.”
Breakout starPhylicia Pearl Mpasiis now taking over the role and bringing new life to the character. “It is joyous, it is fun, it is sad, it’s traumatic, it’s dramatic, but at the end of the day, it is a story of a Black woman who is the hero and the center of a story,”she told PEOPLE. “And I think people are going to leave feeling triumphant and they can take on any of the problems the world throws at them because Celie can.”
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Akosua Busia & Halle Bailey as Young Nettie
Akosua Busia and Halle Bailey.Warner Brothers/Getty Images; Eli Ade/warner bros.
Warner Brothers/Getty Images; Eli Ade/warner bros.
In the new adaptation,Halle Baileytakes over the role, showcasing her ever-growing acting skills and polished singing chops as the fiery and devoted younger sister to Celie.
06of 10Joaquina Kalukango & Ciara as NettieJoaquina Kalukango, Ciara.Walter McBride/WireImage; FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty ImagesThough the role of young Nettie didn’t get a separate actress in the 2015 Broadway revival, Joaquina Washington stepped up and played the older version.In the 2023 reimagining of the film,Ciaraplays the older Nettie, bringing the story of the two sisters full circle.
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Joaquina Kalukango & Ciara as Nettie
Joaquina Kalukango, Ciara.Walter McBride/WireImage; FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
Walter McBride/WireImage; FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
Though the role of young Nettie didn’t get a separate actress in the 2015 Broadway revival, Joaquina Washington stepped up and played the older version.
In the 2023 reimagining of the film,Ciaraplays the older Nettie, bringing the story of the two sisters full circle.
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Danny Glover, Isaiah Johnson & Colman Domingo as Albert ‘Mister’ Johnson
Danny Glover, Isaiah Johnson, Colman Domingo.Warner Brothers/Getty; Jemal Countess/Getty; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Brothers/Getty; Jemal Countess/Getty; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
08of 10Willard E. Pugh, Kyle Scatliffe & Corey Hawkins as HarpoWillard E. Pugh, Kyle Scatliffe, Corey Hawkins.Warner Brothers/Getty; Mark Sagliocco/Getty; Courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesPlaying Mister’s son and Sofia’s husband, Harpo, in the original film was Willard E. Pugh, who went on to appear inAir Force OneandRoboCop 2afterThe Color Purple.Kyle Scatliffe, who has credits inBullandChicago P.D.then took over the role on Broadway, before Corey Hawkins ofStraight Outta Comptonfame stepped in as the conflicted character in Bazawule’s film.
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Willard E. Pugh, Kyle Scatliffe & Corey Hawkins as Harpo
Willard E. Pugh, Kyle Scatliffe, Corey Hawkins.Warner Brothers/Getty; Mark Sagliocco/Getty; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Brothers/Getty; Mark Sagliocco/Getty; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Playing Mister’s son and Sofia’s husband, Harpo, in the original film was Willard E. Pugh, who went on to appear inAir Force OneandRoboCop 2afterThe Color Purple.
Kyle Scatliffe, who has credits inBullandChicago P.D.then took over the role on Broadway, before Corey Hawkins ofStraight Outta Comptonfame stepped in as the conflicted character in Bazawule’s film.
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Rae Dawn Chong, Patrice Covington & H.E.R. as Squeak/Mary Agnes
Rae Dawn Chong, Patrice Covington, H.E.R.Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty; Mark Sagliocco/Getty; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty; Mark Sagliocco/Getty; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Though Squeak is a secondary character, her story inThe Color Purpleis equally as poignant as she eventually learns to speak up for herself and forge her own identity in a world where she is praised for being a meek woman.
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Dana Ivey & Elizabeth Marvel as Miss Millie
Dana Ivey, Elizabeth Marvel.United Archives GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
United Archives GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Elizabeth Marvel — who’s appeared inThe Dropout, Love & Death, Law & Order: SVU, among others — plays the antagonistic character in the new release.
source: people.com
